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Robust Ligature-Induced Model of Murine Periodontitis for the Evaluation of Oral Neutrophils
Published on: January 21, 2020
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Is there any association between genetically predicted periodontitis and ischemic stroke?
1Arizona School of Dentistry & Oral Health, A.T. Still University, Mesa, AZ, USA. satishkumar@atsu.edu.
Evidence-Based Dentistry
|May 10, 2023
Summary
This study investigated if gum disease causes stroke. Results indicate neither chronic nor aggressive periodontitis directly causes ischemic stroke, but chronic periodontitis may have a probable causal effect on cardioembolic stroke.
Area of Science:
- Genetics and Epidemiology
- Cardiovascular Research
- Oral Health
Background:
- Periodontitis, encompassing chronic periodontitis (CP) and aggressive periodontitis (AgP), is a prevalent oral condition.
- Ischemic stroke is a leading cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide, with various subtypes including cardioembolic (CE) stroke, large artery atherosclerosis (LAA), and small vessel occlusion (SVO).
- The potential causal link between periodontitis and ischemic stroke remains an area of active investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To employ a Mendelian randomization framework to elucidate the causal relationship between periodontitis (CP and AgP) and ischemic stroke.
- To investigate the potential causal effects of periodontitis on specific ischemic stroke subtypes (CE stroke, LAA, SVO).
Main Methods:
- A Mendelian randomization study design was utilized.
- Genetic instrumental variables for CP and AgP were derived from large-scale genome-wide association studies (UK Biobank, GWAS of European ancestry).
- Genetic association data for ischemic stroke and its subtypes were obtained from the MEGASTROKE consortium.
- Inverse variance weighted methods and sensitivity analyses were performed for causal inference.
Main Results:
- No significant causal inference was detected for chronic periodontitis (CP) on overall ischemic stroke, LAA, or SVO.
- No causal inference was found for aggressive periodontitis (AgP) on ischemic stroke or any of its subtypes.
- A probable causal effect of CP on cardioembolic (CE) stroke was suggested by the findings.
Conclusions:
- Neither chronic periodontitis nor aggressive periodontitis demonstrates a clear causal effect on the overall risk of ischemic stroke or most of its subtypes.
- Evidence suggests a potential causal role of chronic periodontitis in the development of cardioembolic stroke.
- Further research is warranted to confirm the association between periodontitis and specific stroke etiologies.
