Obesity as predictive factor of periodontal therapy clinical outcomes: A cohort study

The study aim was to investigate the predictive role of obesity on clinical response following non-surgical periodontal therapy in individuals with severe periodontitis.

A total of 57 BMI obese and 58 BMI normal non-smoker adults with periodontitis (defined as probing pocket depths (PPD) of ≥5 mm and alveolar bone loss of >30% with >50% of the teeth affected) received non-surgical periodontal therapy. Periodontal status was based upon PPD, clinical attachment level (CAL) and full-mouth bleeding score (FMBS). Mean PPD, percentage sites PPD >4 mm, percentage sites PPD >5 mm and FMBS at 2 and 6 months were outcome variables. Propensity score analysis was used to assess the effect of obesity on outcome variables after adjusting for confounders.

Statistically significant higher clinical measures (mean PPD, mean percentage of sites with PPD >4 mm, mean percentage of sites with PPD >5 mm and FMBS) were observed in the obese group than the normal group at baseline, 2 and 6 months after therapy (p < .01). At 2 and 6 months, obesity was associated with worse mean PPD (p < .05), percentage sites with PPD >4 mm (p < .05), percentage sites with PPD > 5mm (p < .05) and FMBS (p < .01), independent of age, gender, ethnicity or plaque levels.

Obesity compared to normal BMI status was an independent predictor of poorer response following non-surgical periodontal therapy.