Methods: Male adult ZFRs (HsdHlr:ZUCKER-Leprfa, n=24) and their lean littermates (n=24) were studied. PD was induced in half of ZFRs and lean rats by placing silk ligatures around second maxillary molars, while the other half of the rats served as controls. Animals were followed for 4 weeks and body weight, food intake, glucose tolerance, urinary volume, liver, kidney and heart weight and alveolar bone loss were estimated and statistically analyzed (significance level: p<0.05).
Results: ZFRs with PD presented a 13% decrease (paired t-test, p=0.03) in glucose tolerance, increase in heart relative weight and in liver absolute weight (Wilcoxon, p=0.01 and 0.04, respectively) as compared to Zucker rats without PD. Among lean rats, liver relative weight was increased in those with PD (Wilcoxon, p=0.02). Body weight and food intake increased evenly for ZFRs and lean rats throughout the study. Comparing the groups in which periodontitis was induced, ZFRs presented with increased alveolar bone loss as compared to lean rats (ANOVA supplemented with Duncan test, p<0.001).
Conclusions: These results suggest that prediabetes is an aggravating factor for PD, and that PD results in deterioration of prediabetes in ZFRs, as seen by alterations in glucose tolerance and in heart and kidneys weight, which may play a role in the progression to diabetes and its comorbidities.
This study was supported by the Danish Dental Association, the Danish Diabetes Association, and the National Research Council.