Tehran University of Medical Sciences Iranian Journal of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology 1735-1502 18 5 2019 10 23 543 553 Hamed Fouladseresht Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran Atefe Ghamar Talepoor Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran Shirin Farjadian Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran Shahdad Khosropanah Department of Cardiology, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran Mehrnoosh Doroudchi Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran 2019 06 12 2019 07 17 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. https://ijaai.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijaai/article/view/2436