NEW YORK -- November 27, 2008 -- Individuals reporting a history of periodontal disease were more likely to have increased levels of inflammation compared with those who reported no history of periodontal disease, according to a study published online in the American Journal of Cardiology.
The findings suggest that persons with increased levels of inflammatory markers associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease might be identified by asking about oral health history. This group might not be detected by traditional cardiovascular risk screening.
To examine whether oral health history and inflammatory markers associated with cardiovascular disease were linked, the investigators followed participants in the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) Family Intervention Trial for Heart Health (F.I.T. Heart), an ongoing national trial led by principal investigator Lori Mosca, MD, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons and NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York.
The NHLBI F.I.T. Heart aims to study family members of patients hospitalised with heart disease because they may be at increased risk themselves due to shared genetic and/or lifestyle factors.
Dr. Mosca and colleagues recruited family members or cohabitants of patients hospitalised for such cardiac events as a myocardial infarction or narrowed arteries that required bypass surgery or an angioplasty procedure.
In the study, 421 individuals who were blood related to and/or living with a person recently hospitalised due to cardiovascular disease were screened for traditional cardiovascular risk factors and inflammatory markers associated with disease risk.
They were also asked standardised questions about their oral health status, including whether they had ever been diagnosed with periodontal disease, whether they had ever been treated for periodontal disease, whether they used partial or complete removable dentures, and the date of their last teeth cleaning. The oral health history was then correlated with standard markers of inflammation.
Results found that among participants who did not have traditional cardiovascular disease risk factors such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and obesity, almost 1 in 4 were found to have a personal history of periodontal disease and higher levels of lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2.
It is important to note that it is not possible to determine from this study that poor oral health causes cardiovascular disease risk or that any therapy based on oral health status would be effective in preventing cardiovascular disease. However, "our finding is novel because it suggests the dentist and oral health exam may be the latest weapon in identifying persons at risk of cardiovascular disease, our nation's number one killer," said Dr. Mosca.
SOURCE: NewYork- Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center
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