anti-varicella zoster virus igg and hscrp levels correlate with progression of coronary artery atherosclerosis

The relationship between high levels of anti-varicella zoster virus (vzv) igg in cerebrospinal fluid (csf) and cerebrovascular atherosclerosis commends a possible similar association in other vessels. we aimed to investigate the association of vzv-seropositivity with coronary artery atherosclerosis. we recruited 88 newly diagnosed patients with more than 50% stenosis in at least one of the main coronary arteries. as the control group, 99 age-matched individuals with normal/insignificant coronary artery findings were included. clinical, paraclinical, and demographical data were gathered at the time of sampling. high‐sensitivity c‐reactive protein (hscrp) levels were measured by nephelometry. vzv-seropositivity was determined by measuring of anti-vzv igg level in plasma. multivariable logistic regression was used to evaluate the correlation of data with coronary vascular atherosclerosis. the frequency of vzv-seropositivity was significantly higher in the atherosclerosis group compared to the controls (or=1.88; 95%ci=1.03-3.44). the plasma levels of anti-vzv igg were significantly higher in patients with atherosclerosis (median=2.70, iqr=1.53-4.30 au/ml) than in the controls (median=2.10, iqr=1.70-3.10 au/ml, p=0.034). the hscrp levels in patients and controls were 5.19±2.00 and 1.51±1.07 mg/l, respectively. the correlation between hscrp and anti-vzv igg level in plasma was observed (r=0.40, p<0.001). the levels of hscrp and anti-vzv igg increased based on the number of diseased vessels but only the difference in hscrp levels reached a significant level (p<0.001 and p=0.168, respectively). our data suggest that vzv-seropositivity and hscrp elevation jointly increase the risk of atherosclerosis. the multifactorial nature of atherosclerosis; however, leaves more options for the inflammatory milieu to be generated.