Does Periodontitis Increase the Risk for Future Cardiovascular Events? Long-Term Follow-Up of the PAROKRANK Study

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Research
• Periodontology
• Public Health

Background:

• The PAROKRANK study previously identified an association between periodontitis and myocardial infarction.
• Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory condition affecting the gums and supporting bone.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between periodontitis and the risk of future cardiovascular events and mortality.
• To determine if individuals with periodontitis have an increased risk of adverse cardiovascular outcomes compared to periodontally healthy individuals.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of 1587 participants (<75 years) underwent dental examinations and panoramic radiography.
• Periodontitis severity was categorized based on alveolar bone height.
• Cardiovascular events (death, MI, stroke, heart failure hospitalization) were tracked over a mean follow-up of 9.9 years using Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression.

Main Results:

• 187 events occurred in periodontally healthy participants (19%) and 174 in participants with periodontitis (29%).
• Participants with periodontitis showed a significantly higher likelihood of experiencing a future cardiovascular event (HR=1.26; p=0.038) after adjusting for confounders.

Conclusions:

• The findings support a direct relationship between periodontitis and cardiovascular disease.
• Periodontitis is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular events and mortality.