No association of seropositivity for anti-Borrelia IgG antibody with mental and physical complaints

• Published in: Nordic journal of psychiatry Vol. 62; no. 5; pp. 386 - 391
• Main Authors: Grabe, Hans Joergen, Spitzer, Carsten, Lüdemann, Jan, Guertler, Lutz, Kramer, Axel, John, Ulrich, Freyberger, Harald Juergen, Völzke, Henry
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Informa UK Ltd 2008; Taylor & Francis
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Antibodies, Bacterial - blood; Borrelia burgdorferi - immunology; Borreliosis; Causality; Cognition Disorders - epidemiology; Cognition Disorders - immunology; Cognition Disorders - psychology; Comorbidity; Cross-Sectional Studies; Depression; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; Fatigue - epidemiology; Fatigue - immunology; Fatigue - psychology; Female; Germany - epidemiology; Health Status; Humans; Immunoglobulin G - blood; Lyme disease; Lyme Disease - diagnosis; Lyme Disease - epidemiology; Lyme Disease - immunology; Male; Mental disorder; Mental Disorders - epidemiology; Mental Disorders - immunology; Mental Disorders - psychology; Middle Aged; Mood Disorders - epidemiology; Mood Disorders - immunology; Mood Disorders - psychology; Pain - epidemiology; Pain - immunology; Pain - psychology; Paresthesia - epidemiology; Paresthesia - immunology; Paresthesia - psychology; Physical complaints; Psychometrics - methods; Psychometrics - statistics & numerical data; Serologic Tests; Sleep Wake Disorders - epidemiology; Sleep Wake Disorders - immunology; Sleep Wake Disorders - psychology; Young Adult; Germany
• ISSN: 0803-9488; 1502-4725; 1502-4725
• DOI: 10.1080/08039480801984230

Undiagnosed chronic Lyme disease caused by Borrelia burgdorferi is considered a differential diagnoses in medically unexplained symptoms like arthralgias, distal paresthesias, depressive symptoms, lack of concentration and fatigue. The aims of the study were to assess the association of mental and physical complaints with seropositivity for anti-Borrelia IgG in a general population sample. Seropositivity indicated an infection with Borrelia in the past. The Study of Health in Pomerania was conducted in a community living in a region with endemic Lyme disease. Mental and physical complaints were assessed on 38 items with the von Zerssen's complaint scale. IgG antibodies to Borrelia were determined by ELISA in 4264 individuals. Seropositivity was analyzed applying two cut-off scores (>5 and >10 IU/ml). IgG antibodies to Borrelia were found positive in 388 subjects (9.1%) applying the >5 IU/ml cut-off and in 130 subjects (3.0%) applying the >10 IU/ml cut-off. In multivariate analyses (MANCOVA), both definitions of seropositivity were not associated with increased mental or physical complaints while adjusting for gender, age, employment status, rural residency, physical activity, diabetes mellitus and number of chronic diseases. In the general population, seropositivity for anti-Borrelia IgG antibodies was not associated with an increase of self-rated mental or physical complaints or impairments. Therefore, clinicians should not overvalue seropositivity for anti-Borrelia IgG as a medical cause for unexplained mental or physical complaints.