Asymptomatic bacteriuria as a factor associated to acute myocardial infarction

Abstract

Introduction: atherosclerosis is an inflammatory disease in which the stability of coronary plaque and its rupture with the onset of acute myocardial infarction could be influenced by microbial infections through production of inflammatory mediators. These molecules also occur in patients with asymptomatic bacteriuria, common condition after age 65.

Objective: a comparative study to determine if asymptomatic bacteriuria is associated with acute myocardial infarction was developed.

Material and methods: patients over 65 with atherosclerotic coronary artery disease or patients at high risk of developing it, were included . Patients with acute myocardial infarction in two hospitals in fourth level in Medellin (Colombia) were chosen. The calculation of adjusted Odds ratio was performed using a logistic regression model.

Results: 60 cases and 120 controls were studied. The mean age was 74.94 ± 7.08 years. 37 cases of asymptomatic bacteriuria among 180 patients were documented, for a prevalence equal to 20.6% with female predominance (12.4 vs 32%). The proportion of asymptomatic bacteriuria in the cases was 15% and in controls 23.3% for a crude OR of 0.58 (95% CI 0.25 - 1.32) and an adjusted OR of 1.31 (95% CI 0.53 - 3.26).

Conclusion: no association between asymptomatic bacteriuria and acute myocardial infarction was found. Further studies are required to determine whether this association exists