"In vitro" Studies Linking Atherosclerosis and Periodontitis.

Hernández-Santamaría, Jara; Violant, Deborah

Background: Atherosclerosis and periodontitis are chronic inflammatory diseases that share risk factors and have been linked in several studies, but mechanisms of this association remain controversial. This review aimed to ascertain the current status of the relationship between atherosclerosis and periodontitis, based on studies designed to detect bacterial DNA on cardiovascular specimens. Methods: An electronic and manual literature search in MEDLINE via PubMed, Biosis via Ovid, Lilacs and the Cochrane Library databases between January 1995 and December 2013 was conducted. Only studies analyzing periodontal bacteria detection in cardiovascular specimens and/or in periodontal pockets were included. Descriptive analysis was used to calculate the absolute frequency of each group of articles (Group A and B), in vitro detection methods and number of analysed bacterial species. Results: Thirty-two out of 378 epidemiological studies were included in this review and classified into two groups: papers analysing periodontopathogens from oral biofilm and cardiovascular specimens (n=17; Group A), and papers analysing periodontopathogens only in cardiovascular specimens (n=15; Group B). The most relevant relative frequency of bacterial detection in cardiovascular samples in Group A was 26% P.g, 14% F.n,12% A.a, 8% Pi, 6% T.f, and in Oral samples was 78% P.g, 68% F.n, 65% P.i, 65% T.f, 27% A.a. In Group B the relative frequency was 30% P.i, 20.1% P.g, 17% F.n,16.53% A.a, 13.17% T.f. Conclusions: Although the present data show a trend to the presence of some periodontopathogens in atheromatous plaque, supporting the possible hypotheses that might explain the association between periodontitis and atherosclerosis, further investigations are needed considering the high number of common risk factors in order to clarify the association between both diseases.

ATHEROSCLEROSIS; PERIODONTITIS

Journal of Oral Health & Research, 2013, Vol 4, Issue 4, p1

0976-5328

Academic Journal