title: High incidence of actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans infection in acute coronary syndrome.
abstract: Recent epidemiological studies suggest that periodontitis is an important risk factor for coronary heart disease (CHD). The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between periodontitis and CHD, particularly acute coronary syndrome (ACS), focusing on microbiological and immunological features. Twenty-eight CHD patients, 15 with ACS and 13 with chronic CHD, were included in this study. Coronary angiography, periodontal examination, and dental radiography were performed in all patients. Subgingival plaque, saliva, and blood samples were analyzed for the periodontopathogens Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Tannerella forsythensis, Treponema denticola, and Prevotella intermedia using polymerase chain reaction. Specific serum antibody titers to the 5 periodontal pathogens were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. It was found that 33% of the ACS patients (5/15) harbored A. actinomycetemcomitans in oral samples, whereas no A. actinomycetemcomitans (0/13) was found in the chronic CHD patients (P < 0.05). Furthermore, ACS patients showed significantly higher serum IgG titers to A. actinomycetemcomitans (P < 0.05) compared with chronic CHD. More tooth loss and alveolar bone loss were noted in ACS patients than in chronic CHD patients, although the differences were not statistically significant. Periodontal pathogens, particularly A. actinomycetemcomitans, may play a role in the development of ACS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Graduate School, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Kaoru
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sakurai
authors.forename: Dongqing
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jun-Ichi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Umeda
authors.forename: Toshiyuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nagasawa
authors.forename: Yuichi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Izumi
authors.forename: Isao
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ishikawa
authors.forename: Mitsuaki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Isobe
mesh_terms: D000189:Actinobacillus Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D054058:Acute Coronary Syndrome / Q000382:microbiology*; D000368:Aged; D016976:Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000382:microbiology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010518:Periodontitis / Q000150:complications* / Q000382:microbiology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial