Abstract
Oral health conditions and cerebral small vessel disease, such as white matter lesions or cerebral microbleeds (CMBs), are associated with the incidence of stroke. The purpose of this study was to examine the associations between oral health conditions (serum IgG titers of periodontal pathogens) with the presence or severity of CMBs in acute stroke patients. From January 2013 to April 2016, acute stroke patients were registered in two hospitals. Serum samples were evaluated for antibody titers against 9 periodontal pathogens using the ELISA method. The cut-off points for reactivity (the positive decision point) to each antigen were defined as more than a mean ELISA unit + 1 standard deviation (after logarithmic transformation) in all subjects. CMBs were evaluated on T2*-weighted MRI. In all, 639 patients were evaluated (ischemic, n = 533 and hemorrhagic, n = 106; 73.1 ± 12.9 years old). Among these patients, 627 were available for CMB evaluation. Among the 9 evaluated periodontal pathogens, only Campylobacter rectus (C. rectus) was associated with the presence of CMBs. the prevalence of positive serum antibody titers against C. rectus was higher among patients with CMBs than among those without CMBs (14.6% vs. 8.7%, P = 0.025). In addition, positive serum antibody titers against C. rectus remained one of the factors associated with the presence of CMBs in multivariate logistic analysis (odds ratio 2.03, 95% confidence interval 1.19-3.47, P = 0.010). A positive serum antibody titer against C. rectus was associated with the presence of CMBs in acute stroke patients.
Highlights
Impaired oral health status, including periodontal disease, has an adverse impact on systemic health [1]
This study demonstrates that a positive serum IgG antibody titer against C. rectus is associated with the presence of cerebral microbleeds (CMBs) in acute stroke patients after adjusting for baseline covariate factors
Cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD), including lacunar infarction, white matter lesions (WMLs), and CMBs, are common phenomena associated with ageing that worsen with hypertension and diabetes mellitus [18]
Summary
Impaired oral health status, including periodontal disease, has an adverse impact on systemic health [1]. A recent meta-analysis of cohort studies showed that the risk of ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke was significantly increased by 1.6-fold among patients with periodontitis [3]. An ARIC (Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities) cohort study performed in 10362 stroke-free participants over a 15-year follow-up period showed that periodontal disease was significantly associated with the incidence of cardioembolic and thrombotic stroke [4]. They reported that access to regular dental examinations may reduce the risk of ischemic stroke. The management or evaluation of periodontal disease is essential when considering stroke prevention
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
