IADR Abstract Archives
Periodontitis, carotid artery calcification, and coronary artery disease
Objectives: The aim was to study the prevalence of carotid artery calcifications (CAC) visible on panoramic radiography in relation to periodontal characteristics of patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) verified with angiography.
Methods: The study population comprised 506 subjects, who underwent coronary angiography at the Helsinki University Central Hospital, Finland, due to heart-related symptoms. Based on the angiography, subjects were assigned to groups of stable CAD, acute coronary syndrome, and no significant CAD. The number of teeth, periodontal probing depths (PPD), and bleeding on probing (BOP) were recorded in clinical oral examination. Radiographic alveolar bone loss (ABL) and the prevalence of CAC were detected on panoramic tomography. Examinations were performed at least 6 weeks but no later than 5 months after the angiography.
Results: Age (p = <0.001), hypertension (p = 0.007), number of teeth (p = 0.046), and ABL (p = 0.005) associated with the presence of CAC. From all patients, 111 (23.3%) had significant CAC. From 353 patients having CAD, 92 (26.1%) had calcification, and severe CAC was associated with CAD (p = 0.007). In a multivariate logistic regression model adjusted for age, gender, diabetes, dyslipidemia, BMI, and smoking, ABL of more than one third of the root length was associated with CAC with OR 2.15 (95% CI 1.05-4.39, p = 0.036). PPD exceeding 4 or 6 mm and BOP did not associate with CAC.
Conclusions: Alveolar bone loss was associated with carotid artery calcification in patients with angiographically verified coronary artery disease. This suggests that periodontal infection contribute to increased cardiovascular risk. If carotid artery calcification is identified on panoramic radiographs, the patient should be referred for cardiovascular evaluation.
Methods: The study population comprised 506 subjects, who underwent coronary angiography at the Helsinki University Central Hospital, Finland, due to heart-related symptoms. Based on the angiography, subjects were assigned to groups of stable CAD, acute coronary syndrome, and no significant CAD. The number of teeth, periodontal probing depths (PPD), and bleeding on probing (BOP) were recorded in clinical oral examination. Radiographic alveolar bone loss (ABL) and the prevalence of CAC were detected on panoramic tomography. Examinations were performed at least 6 weeks but no later than 5 months after the angiography.
Results: Age (p = <0.001), hypertension (p = 0.007), number of teeth (p = 0.046), and ABL (p = 0.005) associated with the presence of CAC. From all patients, 111 (23.3%) had significant CAC. From 353 patients having CAD, 92 (26.1%) had calcification, and severe CAC was associated with CAD (p = 0.007). In a multivariate logistic regression model adjusted for age, gender, diabetes, dyslipidemia, BMI, and smoking, ABL of more than one third of the root length was associated with CAC with OR 2.15 (95% CI 1.05-4.39, p = 0.036). PPD exceeding 4 or 6 mm and BOP did not associate with CAC.
Conclusions: Alveolar bone loss was associated with carotid artery calcification in patients with angiographically verified coronary artery disease. This suggests that periodontal infection contribute to increased cardiovascular risk. If carotid artery calcification is identified on panoramic radiographs, the patient should be referred for cardiovascular evaluation.