ACUTE CORONARY EVENTS AND CARDIOVASCULAR-RELATED DEATH. THEIR ASSOCIATION WITH PERIODONTAL HEALTH. A 5-YEAR PROSPECTIVE STUDY.

The aim of the present study was to assess periodontal disease (PD) as a risk factor for the development of acute coronary events (ACE) and cardiovascular-related death.
The study population comprised 303 patients, average age 69±9 years, attending the Cardiology Service of the Hospital Español; 47.9 % were women and 52.1 % were men (t=1.58 – p=0,115). A clinical record was filled in for each patient, including traditional atherogenic risk factors (ARF) and the medication prescribed to prevent them. Periodontal examination was performed at the same time and average clinical attachment level (CAL) of each patient was determined. Based on the periodontal examination, the population was divided into three groups:
Group 1 – Patients with average CAL< 5 mm.
Group 2 – Patients with average CAL > 5 mm.
Group 3 – Edentulous patients
All three groups were followed-up on for five years in order to evaluate the incidence of ACE and cardiovascular-related death in each group. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the relation between traditional ARF and PD in the development of fatal and non-fatal ACE.
1- Positive association was observed between male gender (OR=3.7) and hypercholesterolemia (OR=2.7), and the development of non-fatal ACE. No association was observed between PD or edentulism and this variable. 2 – Positive association was observed between age (OR=1.09) and PD (OR=3.62), and cardiovascular-related death. In this regard, incidence of death was 2% in the group of subjects with CAL < 5 mm, 8% in those with CAL > 5 mm, and 15% in edentulous subjects (chi2=11.54 – p=0.0031).
PD and edentulism, understood as the outcome of the most severe form of PD, were found to be risk factors for the development of fatal cardiovascular events, in the population studied herein.
Key words: Periodontitis / atherosclerosis / cardiovascular-related death