P2.29: Is there an association between periodontal disease and aquired sclerosis of the aortic valve?
✍ Scribed by Henry Völzke; Christian Schwahn; Ulrich John; Thomas Kocher
- Publisher
- John Wiley and Sons
- Year
- 2004
- Tongue
- English
- Weight
- 69 KB
- Volume
- 46
- Category
- Article
- ISSN
- 0323-3847
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✦ Synopsis
Periodontal disease is suspected to cause atherosclerotic coronary artery disease. Aortic-valve sclerosis represents a sum of degenerative and inflammatory processes which are similar to the development of atherosclerosis. It may reflect the proposed infectionrelated etiology of cardiovascular disease. The present analysis was performed to investigate possible associations between periodontal disease and aortic-valve sclerosis in a large population-based sample. The Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP) is a survey in a north-eastern region of Germany. A random sample from the population aged 20 to 79 years was drawn. A study population of 2,349 individuals (1,210 men, 1,139 women) aged 45 years or older was available for the present analysis. Logistic regression analyses did not reveal periodontal disease as an independent risk factor for aortic-valve sclerosis (OR=1.001 (0.997-1.005), p=0.676). However, a reduced number of teeth did appear to be independently associated with aortic-valve sclerosis. Other risk factors for aortic-valve sclerosis were an advanced age, male gender, history of myocardial infarction, the use of anti-diabetic medication and drugs which act on the renin-angiotensin system, and higher body mass index, pulse pressure, plasma fibrinogen and lipoprotein (a) levels. We conclude that a reduced number of teeth but not periodontal disease is independently associated with the risk of aortic-valve sclerosis. This finding further strengthens the link between oral health and cardiovascular disorders.