Periodontal therapy reduces plasma levels of interleukin-6, C-reactive protein, and fibrinogen in patients with severe periodontitis and refractory arterial hypertension.
BACKGROUND
Recent epidemiologic studies suggest that inflammation is the link between periodontal diseases and cardiovascular complications. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of non-surgical periodontal treatment on plasma levels of inflammatory markers (interleukin [IL]-6, C-reactive protein [CRP], and fibrinogen) in patients with severe periodontitis and refractory arterial hypertension.


METHODS
Twenty-two patients were examined and randomly divided into two groups. The test group was composed of 11 patients (mean age, 48.9 +/- 3.9 years) who received periodontal treatment, whereas the control group had 11 patients (mean age, 49.7 +/- 6.0 years) whose treatment was delayed for 3 months. Demographic and clinical periodontal data were collected, and blood tests were performed to measure the levels of IL-6, CRP, and fibrinogen at baseline and 3 months later.


RESULTS
The clinical results showed that the mean percentages of sites with bleeding on probing, probing depth (PD) 4 to 5 mm, PD > or =6 mm, clinical attachment loss (CAL) 4 to 5 mm, and CAL > or =6 mm were significantly reduced in the test group 3 months after periodontal treatment. There were no significant differences between the data at baseline and 3 months in the control group. Periodontal treatment significantly reduced the blood levels of fibrinogen, CRP, and IL-6 in the test group.


CONCLUSIONS
Non-surgical periodontal therapy was effective in improving periodontal clinical data and in reducing the plasma levels of IL-6, CRP, and fibrinogen in hypertensive patients with severe periodontitis.
Vidal
Fábio
F
Department of Periodontology, Faculty of Odontology, Rio de Janeiro State University, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
Figueredo
Carlos Marcelo S
CM
Cordovil
Ivan
I
Fischer
Ricardo G
RG
D000328:Adult; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis*; D055113:Chronic Periodontitis / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D012534:Dental Scaling; D005260:Female; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D015850:Interleukin-6; D005340:Fibrinogen; D002097:C-Reactive Protein