title: Oral findings in three different groups of immunocompromised patients.
abstract: The objective of this study was to determine the frequency of oral, dental and periodontal findings in three different groups of immunocompromised patients and in a healthy control group, to evaluate whether there is a correlation between manifestations of disease and immunologic parameters. The survey included 46 patients with a diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus, 48 heart transplant recipients, and 53 adult patients suffering from acute leukemias. Fifty matched healthy subjects were used as a control group. Each patient had to answer questions on medical and dental health and underwent a thorough oral, dental and serological investigation. Oral mucosal lesions were found in nearly half of all immunocompromised patients (49.6%), but in only 26% of control patients. No significant associations were found between different types of oral lesions and the underlying cause of immunosuppression. Leukemia patients showed age-unrelated higher scores in periodontal indices (P<0.05). Laboratory parameters failed to be significant in the assessment of oral health.
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Münster, Germany.
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Meyer
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kleinheinz
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Handschel
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kruse-Lösler
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Weingart
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Joos
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D016301:Alveolar Bone Loss / Q000145:classification; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004245:DMF Index; D003774:Dental Plaque Index; D005260:Female; D016027:Heart Transplantation / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D016867:Immunocompromised Host; D015470:Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / Q000276:immunology; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009059:Mouth Diseases / Q000145:classification*; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000473:pathology; D010510:Periodontal Diseases / Q000145:classification; D010512:Periodontal Index; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000276:immunology; D012737:Sex Factors; D014076:Tooth Diseases / Q000145:classification