Association between periodontal disease and ischemic heart disease among Swedish women: a cross-sectional study.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this cross-sectional study was to analyze the relationship between chronic periodontitis and ischemic heart disease (IHD).


METHODS
A cross-section of women aged 38 to 84 years were examined in 1992-93 (analysis based on n=1056). Medical and dental examinations were included in the analysis specifically with regard to IHD and periodontitis. Other well-known risk factors for IHD were used as covariates in multivariable statistical analysis.


RESULTS
Among the dentate women in this study (n=847), 74 had IHD and 773 did not. There was no statistically significant difference between numbers of pathological gingival pockets between these groups (58.1% had one or more pathological pockets in the IHD group compared to 57.6% in the non-IHD group). Bivariate analysis of dentate individuals showed significant associations between IHD and number of missing teeth, age, body mass index, waist/hip ratio, life satisfaction, hypertension, and levels of cholesterol and triglycerides. However, in the final multivariable logistic regression model, with the exception of age, only number of teeth (<17 teeth) OR = 2.13 (CI 1.20; 3.77) was found to be significantly associated with IHD. Moreover, edentulous women had an OR of 1.94 (CI 1.05; 3.60) in relation to IHD (age-adjusted model).


CONCLUSIONS
In the present study, periodontitis did not seem to have a statistically significant relationship with IHD. The number of missing teeth showed a strong association with IHD, and this may act as a proxy variable tapping an array of different risk factors and behaviors.
Stenman
Ulrika
U
Institute of Odontology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden. Ulrika.Stenman@vgregion.se
Wennström
Anette
A
Ahlqwist
Margareta
M
Bengtsson
Calle
C
Björkelund
Cecilia
C
Lissner
Lauren
L
Hakeberg
Magnus
M
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000787:Angina Pectoris / Q000453:epidemiology; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D055113:Chronic Periodontitis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005888:Gingival Pocket / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology; D007576:Jaw, Edentulous, Partially / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000453:epidemiology; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000453:epidemiology*; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D011159:Population Surveillance; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology; D016388:Tooth Loss / Q000453:epidemiology; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D049629:Waist-Hip Ratio
D014280:Triglycerides; D002784:Cholesterol