Coronary artery disease and periodontal disease: is there a link?
BACKGROUND
Cardiovascular disease is the number one killer worldwide. The so-called classic risk factors of coronary heart disease do not account for all of its clinical and epidemiological features. Recent evidence suggests that certain infections, among them dental infections and in particular periodontal disease, are involved in the pathogenesis of coronary artery disease.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the association between periodontal disease and coronary artery disease.


METHODS
Fifty patients referred for diagnostic coronary angiography were assessed for periodontal disease. All patients underwent a thorough physical examination, routine laboratory testing, cardiac evaluation and dental examination which included pantomography x-ray evaluation.


RESULTS
Pantomography x-rays and coronary angiograms of the participants were scored blindly by a dentist and cardiologists respectively. The association between periodontal disease and coronary atheromatosis remained significant after adjustment for age, smoking, blood lipids, body mass index, hypertension and the presence of diabetes.


CONCLUSIONS
Periodontal disease was still significantly associated after all the known risk factors were accounted for. The implication here is that periodontal disease could be a potential risk factor for heart disease by predisposing the individual to chronic low-grade infections. If so, then dental health becomes an important parameter for medical health.
Abou-Raya
Suzan
S
Department of Internal Medicine and Cardiology Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Alexandria, Egypt.
Naeem
Amr
A
Abou-El
Kheir Hassan
KH
El
Beltagy Sheriff
BS
D000368:Aged; D001799:Blood Sedimentation; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D023921:Coronary Stenosis / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D004534:Egypt / Q000453:epidemiology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010510:Periodontal Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D015995:Prevalence; D011862:Radiography, Panoramic; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D014280:Triglycerides; D005340:Fibrinogen; D002097:C-Reactive Protein