Improved periodontal health and cardiovascular risk

Previous studies have demonstrated variable effects on systemic inflammatory and immune responses following improved periodontal health. This study examined changes in serum levels of the inflammatory mediators IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α and sICAM-1, and antibodies to Porphyromonas gingivalis, human heat shock protein (hHSP) 60 and P. gingivalis GroEL following improvement in periodontal health in high cardiovascular (CV) risk and low CV-risk patients.

Patients retrospectively selected from a longitudinal study, had undergone yearly periodontal examinations and peripheral blood collections. They had demonstrated a quantifiable improvement in periodontal health (>60% reduction in number of sites with probing depth ≥ 4 mm from the baseline visit) and could be classified as either high CV-risk (≥ 6 classical risk factors, n = 13) or low CV-risk (≤ 1 classical risk factor, n = 14). Serum levels of the cytokines and antibodies were measured using ELISA.

For sICAM-1 and anti-P. gingivalis GroEL and anti-hHSP60 antibodies, most patients recorded decreased levels. Reductions in serum sICAM-1 levels were more notable in low CV-risk patients (p = 0.006); and reductions in levels of anti-P. gingivalis GroEL and anti-hHSP60 antibodies (p = 0.001 and 0.009 respectively) were more notable in high CV-risk patients.

This study found that subsequent to improved periodontal health, the anti-HSP (HSP60 and GroEL) antibody response was reduced, particularly for high CV-risk patients. sICAM-1 levels were also lowered, more so for low CV-risk patients.