Serum Adiponectin and Periodontitis in Never Smoking Men

Methods: Never smoking test subjects (n=31) with established periodontitis, categorised by loss of periodontal attachment (PAL) and pocketing of at least 5mm, were matched for age and BMI with controls (n=31) who were periodontitis resistant (no PAL or pocketing over 3mm). Adiponectin was measured from serum obtained at the time of (T1) and 10 years prior to periodontal examination (T0). Mann Whitney and Chi square analysis were used to compare the subgroups with the level of significance set at p<0.05.  

Results: There was considerable variability in serum adiponectin with evidence at T1 of lower mean levels in periodontitis (3779 ng/mL SD 2405) than periodontitis resistant controls (4598 SD 2289), p=0.09. More men with periodontitis 26 (84%) had low adiponectin (< 5000 ng/mL) than controls (19, 61%), p=0.046. Serum adiponectin levels at T1 and T0 were strongly correlated (r=0.64, 95% ci 0.46 to 0.76, p=0.0016).  Adiponectin at T0 was significantly lower in test subjects (4769 SD 3765) than in controls (8692 SD 5589), p=0.0019. At T0 more men with periodontitis 20 (65%) had low adiponectin (< 5000 ng/mL) than controls (9, 31%), p=0.005.  

Conclusions: There was evidence in the never smoking 60-70 year-old male population investigated of a modest association between low serum adiponectin and periodontitis.

Funded by a grant from the Northern Ireland NHS Research and Development Fund.