Immunopathogenesis of atherosclerosis.

To the Editor: We read with great interest the article on acceleration of atherosclerosis by nonspecific stimulation of the immune system. Lehr and colleagues1 showed data supporting the concept that atherosclerosis has an immunopathological component, making improbable that a single infectious agent should assume particular importance in its initiation or progression. We tested this hypothesis in 218 patients (119 men; 99 women; mean age 64.6; 29 to 83 years) referred for coronary angiography. We studied the possible association between seropositivity for a particular microbial agent and angiographically proven coronary artery disease (CAD), defined as more than 50% diameter stenosis of at least one coronary artery. Blood was tested for seromarkers of 6 pathogens (Hepatitis-A virus, Chlamydia pneumoniae , Helicobacter pylori …