title: Influence of obesity on the outcome of non-surgical periodontal therapy - a systematic review.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Obesity and periodontitis are important chronic health problems. Obesity is associated with an increased prevalence of periodontitis. Whether obesity also affects the outcome of non-surgical periodontal therapy is to date still unclear.
  
  
  METHODS
  A systematic review of studies referenced in SCOPUS, MEDLINE, PubMed, Cochrane, CINAHL, Biosis and Web of Science was performed. Titles, abstracts and finally full texts were scrutinized for possible inclusion by two independent investigators. Quality and heterogeneity of the studies were assessed and the study designs were examined. Probing pocket depth reduction was analyzed as primary surrogate parameter for therapeutic success after non-surgical periodontal therapy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One-hundred-and-fifty-nine potentially qualifying studies were screened. Eight studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were analyzed. Three of eight studies failed to show an influence of obesity on pocket depth reduction after non-surgical therapy. The remaining five studies documented a clear negative effect on the outcome of non-surgical periodontal therapy. The finally included studies did not correspond to the highest level of quality (RCTs). Due to the heterogeneity of the data a meta-analysis was not possible.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The literature on the effect of obesity on the treatment outcome of non-surgical periodontal therapy remains controversial. The data, however, support that obesity is not only a factor associated with poorer periodontal health but might also result in inferior response to non-surgical treatment of periodontitis.
authors: Clinic of Preventive Dentistry, Periodontology and Cariology, Center of Dental Medicine, University of Zurich, Plattenstrasse 11, CH-8032, Zurich, Switzerland.
authors: Fabienne A
authors: FA
authors: Gerber
authors: Clinic of Preventive Dentistry, Periodontology and Cariology, Center of Dental Medicine, University of Zurich, Plattenstrasse 11, CH-8032, Zurich, Switzerland.
authors: Philipp
authors: P
authors: Sahrmann
authors: Department of Internal Medicine, Cantonal Hospital Baden, Baden, Switzerland.
authors: Oliver A
authors: OA
authors: Schmidlin
authors: Department of Statistics, Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich, Munich, Germany.
authors: Christian
authors: C
authors: Heumann
authors: Department of Internal Medicine, Cantonal Hospital Baden, Baden, Switzerland.
authors: Jürg Hans
authors: JH
authors: Beer
authors: Clinic of Preventive Dentistry, Periodontology and Cariology, Center of Dental Medicine, University of Zurich, Plattenstrasse 11, CH-8032, Zurich, Switzerland. patrick.schmidlin@zzm.uzh.ch.
authors: Patrick R
authors: PR
authors: Schmidlin
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D009765:Obesity; D010518:Periodontitis / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Chronic periodontitis; Non-surgical periodontal therapy; Obesity; Outcome