Naslov
Cytomegalovirus disease as a possible etiologic factor for early atherosclerosis

Autori
Biočina, Bojan ; Husedžinović, Inoslav ; Sutlić, Željko ; Presečki, Vladimir ; Wallwork, J.

Izvornik
Collegium antropologicum (0350-6134) 23 (1999), 2; 673-681

Vrsta, podvrsta i kategorija rada
Radovi u časopisima, članak, znanstveni

Ključne riječi
atherosclerosis; citomegalovirus
(ateroskleroza; citomegalovirus)

Sažetak
A group of 284 patients who underwent orthotopic heart transplantation between April 1986 to June 1991 and who were followed up for at least five years was analyzed in this paper. Patients were divided into three groups according to the presence or absence of cytomegalovirus infection or disease: patients without infection, patients with serologycaly proven infection and patients with cytomegalovirus disease. The analysis of survival was performed with respect to all major factors that influence survival: age and sex of a donor and a recipient, number of rejection episodes, perioperative ischemic time and pulmonary vascular resistence. A recipient's age was shown to be a significant factor. Patients who experienced at least one episode of cytomegalovirus disease had significantly worse long-term survival compared to those with the infection only or without the infection. That difference was caused by the increased incidence of coronary atherosclerosis, which caused deaths in patients with a previous episode of cytomegalovirus disease. A possible mechanism responsible for this phenomenon is discussed.

Izvorni jezik
Engleski

Znanstvena područja
Veterinarska medicina

POVEZANOST RADA