Serum antibody levels to Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans predict the risk for coronary heart disease.
OBJECTIVE
The association between serum antibody levels to major periodontal pathogens and coronary heart disease (CHD) was analyzed in a prospective population-based study.


RESULTS
The population comprised 1023 men (aged 46 to 64 years) in the Kuopio Ischemic Heart Disease Study. The subjects with CHD at baseline (n=113) were more often seropositive for Porphyromonas gingivalis IgA (38.9% versus 28.5%, P=0.021) and IgG (60.2% versus 46.7%, P=0.007) than those without CHD. During the 10-year follow-up, 109 men free from CHD at baseline experienced an acute myocardial infarction or CHD death. The men with an end point were more often seropositive for Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans IgA (15.5% versus 10.2%, P=0.019) than those who remained healthy. In the highest tertile of A. actinomycetemcomitans IgA-antibodies compared with the lowest one, the relative risk (RR) for an end point adjusted for CHD risk factors was 2.0 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.2 to 3.3). In the Porphyromonas gingivalis IgA-antibody tertiles, the highest RR of 2.1 (1.3 to 3.4) was observed in the second tertile. All antibody levels correlated positively with the carotid artery intima-media thickness.


CONCLUSIONS
High-serum antibody levels to major periodontal pathogens are associated with subclinical, prevalent, and future incidence of CHD. Periodontal pathogens or host response against them may contribute to the pathogenesis of CHD.
Pussinen
Pirkko J
PJ
Institute of Dentistry, University of Helsinki, and Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Diseases, Helsinki University Central Hospital, P.O. Box 63, FI-00014 Helsinki, Finland. pirkko.pussinen@helsinki.fi
Nyyssönen
Kristiina
K
Alfthan
Georg
G
Salonen
Riitta
R
Laukkanen
Jari A
JA
Salonen
Jukka T
JT
D000189:Actinobacillus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D016976:Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000097:blood; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010518:Periodontitis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G