Periodontal health improves systemic inflammatory and haemostatic status in subjects with coronary heart disease

Abstract

A relationship between poor oral health and coronary heart disease (CHD) and systemic inflammatory and haemostatic factors has been recently documented in an Italian population. The present study was performed to assess whether intensive dental care may produce a periodontal improvement along with a change in systemic inflammatory and haemostatic factors. The study population consisted of 18 males aged 40-65 years with proven CHD and elevated values of systemic inflammatory and haemostatic factors. A detailed description of their oral status was given by using two different dental indices (clinical periodontal sum score and clinical and radiographic sum score). Blood samples were taken for measurement of the following systemic markers of inflammation [(C-reactive protein (CRP), leucocytes, fibrinogen)] and haemostatic factors [(von Willebrand factor, fibrin D-dimer and oxidized-low density lipoprotein (Ox-LDL)]. All parameters were determined in each subject at baseline, after 4 months as a control and 3 months after an intensive protocol of scaling and root planing. anova for repeated measures was used for the statistical analysis. No statistical difference was found between values at baseline and at the 4-month-control. All oral indexes showed a significant decrease (p< .01) 3 months after periodontal treatment. All systemic inflammatory indexes decreased but only the decrease in CRP reached statistical significance (p< .05). A significant decrease (p< .01) was also found as regards Ox-LDL among haemostatic factors. Preliminary results from the present study suggest an association between poor oral status and CHD, and provide evidence that the improvement of periodontal status may influence the systemic inflammatory and haemostatic situation.