title: Association of Endodontic Lesions with Coronary Artery Disease.
abstract: An endodontic lesion (EL) is a common manifestation of endodontic infection where Porphyromonas endodontalis is frequently encountered. EL may associate with increased risk for coronary artery disease (CAD) via similar pathways as marginal periodontitis. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to delineate the associations between EL and CAD. Subgingival P. endodontalis, its immune response, and serum lipopolysaccharide were examined as potential mediators between these 2 diseases. The Finnish Parogene study consists of 508 patients (mean age, 62 y) who underwent coronary angiography and extensive clinical and radiographic oral examination. The cardiovascular outcomes included no significant CAD ( n = 123), stable CAD ( n = 184), and acute coronary syndrome (ACS; n = 169). EL was determined from a panoramic tomography. We combined data of widened periapical spaces (WPSs) and apical rarefactions to a score of EL: 1, no EL ( n = 210); 2, ≥1 WPS per 1 apical rarefaction ( n = 222); 3, ≥2 apical rarefactions ( n = 76). Subgingival P. endodontalis was defined by checkerboard DNA-DNA hybridization analysis, and corresponding serum antibodies were determined by ELISA. In our population, 50.4% had WPSs, and 22.8% apical rarefactions. A total of 51.2% of all teeth with apical rarefactions had received endodontic procedures. Subgingival P. endodontalis levels and serum immunoglobulin G were associated with a higher EL score. In the multiadjusted model (age, sex, smoking, diabetes, body mass index, alveolar bone loss, and number of teeth), having WPSs associated with stable CAD (odds ratio [OR] = 1.94, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] = 1.13 to 3.32, P = 0.016) and highest EL score were associated with ACS (OR = 2.46, 95% CI = 1.09 to 5.54, P = 0.030). This association was especially notable in subjects with untreated teeth with apical rarefactions ( n = 59, OR = 2.72, 95% CI = 1.16 to 6.40, P = 0.022). Our findings support the hypothesis that ELs are independently associated with CAD and in particular with ACS. This is of high interest from a public health perspective, considering the high prevalence of ELs and CAD.
authors.affiliation: 1 Oral and Maxillofacial Diseases, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Liljestrand
authors.affiliation: 1 Oral and Maxillofacial Diseases, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mäntylä
authors.affiliation: 1 Oral and Maxillofacial Diseases, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Paju
authors.affiliation: 1 Oral and Maxillofacial Diseases, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.|2 Division of Periodontology, Department of Dental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Sweden.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Buhlin
authors.affiliation: 1 Oral and Maxillofacial Diseases, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: K A E
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Kopra
authors.affiliation: 3 Departments of Oral Medicine, and Periodontics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.
authors.forename: G R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Persson
authors.affiliation: 4 Laboratory of Periodontal Biology and Department of Oral Pathology and Medicine, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hernandez
authors.affiliation: 5 Department of Cardiology, Heart and Lung Center, Department of Medicine, Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Nieminen
authors.affiliation: 5 Department of Cardiology, Heart and Lung Center, Department of Medicine, Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sinisalo
authors.affiliation: 1 Oral and Maxillofacial Diseases, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.|6 Research Unit of Oral Health Sciences, and Medical Research Center Oulu, Oulu University Hospital and University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tjäderhane
authors.affiliation: 1 Oral and Maxillofacial Diseases, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Pussinen
mesh_terms: D054058:Acute Coronary Syndrome / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010485:Periapical Periodontitis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*; D045202:Porphyromonas endodontalis / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D011862:Radiography, Panoramic; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D007074:Immunoglobulin G
keywords: Porphyromonas endodontalis; acute coronary syndrome; dentistry; immunity; lipopolysaccharides; periapical periodontitis