Assessment of myocardial strain in hypertensive patients with periodontitis

Left ventricular (LV) relaxation is affected by hypertension. The inflammatory mediators produced in response to systemic inflammation, such as in periodontal disease, may also alter ventricular mechanics and the existing ventricular dysfunction. Thus, the systemic inflammatory burden which occurs in response to chronic periodontitis may alter myocardial activity.

The current study aimed to assess the myocardial strain among controlled hypertensive patients with periodontitis by using two-dimensional (2D) echocardiography.

The study involved 150 controlled hypertensive patients, equally divided into group A (without periodontitis) and group B (with periodontitis). The cardiac strain was measured with 2D echocardiography and represented as global longitudinal strain (GLS), while the periodontal inflamed surface area (PISA) score quantified the systemic inflammatory burden experienced by these individuals due to chronic periodontitis.

In the multiple linear regression model, the adjusted R2 for group B indicated that 88% of the variation in GLS was due to the independent variable (PISA). Thus, with every one-unit rise in PISA, there was a mild alteration in GLS of 7.54 × 10-5. A scatter plot depicted a positive correlation between PISA and GLS.

Within the limitations of the study, it can be concluded that an increase in the PISA score may cause mild alterations in the GLS score, which could indicate the possible influence of periodontitis on myocardial activity.