Hospital Visits Associated With Oral Infections in Patients With Neurofibromatosis Type 1: A Register-Based Analysis

Area of Science:

• Oral health
• Genetics
• Public health

Background:

• Neurofibromatosis 1 (NF1) is a genetic disorder associated with various health complications.
• Oral manifestations are reported in NF1 patients, but data on hospital visits for oral infections are limited.
• Understanding the oral health burden in NF1 is essential for patient care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between NF1 and hospital visits for oral infections using register-based data.
• To compare the incidence of oral infection-related hospital visits in individuals with NF1, their siblings, and matched controls.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of the Finnish NF1 cohort, including individuals with NF1, their siblings, and matched controls.
• Utilized the Finnish Care Register for Health Care for follow-up data from 1998-2014.
• Examined hospital visits for specific oral infection diagnoses (dental caries, pulp/periapical diseases, gingivitis/periodontal diseases, salivary gland diseases, stomatitis).

Main Results:

• Significantly increased hazards for hospital visits related to dental caries (HR 4.42), diseases of pulp and periapical tissues (HR 3.85), and gingivitis and periodontal diseases (HR 3.63) were observed in NF1 patients compared to controls.
• No significant increase in hospital visits for salivary gland diseases or stomatitis was found in the NF1 group.
• The findings indicate a higher susceptibility to specific oral infections among individuals with NF1.

Conclusions:

• Hospital visits for common oral infections are notably more frequent in individuals with NF1.
• The study underscores the importance of targeted oral health surveillance, early detection, and proactive management strategies for NF1 patients.
• Further research may explore the underlying mechanisms linking NF1 to increased oral infection risk.