Association between high serum ferritin and periodontitis: A population-based cross-sectional preliminary study

Area of Science:

• Oral Health
• Biochemistry
• Public Health

Background:

• Periodontitis is a common oral disease with complex etiology.
• High serum ferritin levels, a marker of iron storage, are increasingly recognized for their systemic implications.
• Understanding the link between ferritin and periodontitis is crucial for public health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between elevated serum ferritin and periodontitis.
• To explore potential mediating pathways, including sociodemographic, behavioral, inflammatory, and metabolic factors.
• To differentiate between direct and indirect mechanisms linking ferritin to periodontitis.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of data from 7283 participants in the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III).
• Utilized structural equation modeling (SEM) to assess direct and indirect pathways.
• Examined associations considering poverty, age, smoking, alcohol, obesity, iron intake, C-reactive protein (CRP), and insulin resistance (HOMA-IR).

Main Results:

• Higher serum ferritin levels showed a direct association with periodontitis (p=0.025).
• Serum ferritin partially mediated the relationship between systemic inflammation (CRP) and periodontitis (p=0.033).
• Elevated ferritin levels remained directly associated with periodontitis even after adjusting for confounders.

Conclusions:

• High serum ferritin levels may play a role in the development and severity of periodontitis.
• Systemic inflammation appears to be a partially mediating mechanism in the ferritin-periodontitis association.
• Further research is needed to fully elucidate the direct and indirect mechanisms involved.