Association of serum lipid indices and statin consumption with periodontal status

Periodontal and cardiovascular diseases share some common underlying mechanisms. Hyperlipidemia is a major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. This study sought to assess the association of hyperlipidemia and statin consumption with periodontal status.

This cross-sectional study was conducted on 150 participants including 50 individuals with normal lipid profile (group C), 50 hyperlipidemic patients without drug therapy (group N), and 50 hyperlipidemic patients on drug therapy for a minimum of 3 months (group S). Periodontal parameters including plaque index (PI), clinical attachment level (CAL), bleeding on probing (BOP), and pocket depth (PD) were measured for all teeth except for the third molars. Serum levels of total cholesterol (TC), HDL, LDL, and triglycerides (TGs) were measured.

The mean values of CAL and PD were significantly higher in the two hyperlipidemic groups compared with the C group (P < 0.005). Also, CAL and PD had significant associations with serum levels of TGs, LDL, and TC (P < 0.0001); PI in the group S was significantly lower than that in the other groups (P < 0.005).

Hyperlipidemic patients showed higher values of periodontal parameters compared with the statin-treated and control groups. Lower PI in the group S may indicate the anti-inflammatory effect of statin.