Is there a relationship between periodontal disease and causes of death? A cross sectional study.

The aim of this study was to evaluate whether there is any correlation between periodontal disease and mortality contributing factors, such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes mellitus in the elderly population. A dental evaluation was performed by a single examiner at Tufts University dental clinics for 284 patients. Periodontal assessments were performed by probing with a manual UNC-15 periodontal probe to measure pocket depth and clinical attachment level (CAL) at 6 sites. Causes of death abstracted from death certificate. Statistical analysis involved ANOVA, chi-square and multivariate logistic regression analysis. The demographics of the population sample indicated that, most were females (except for diabetes mellitus), white, married, completed 13 years of education and were 83 years old on average. CAL (continuous or dichotomous) and marital status attained statistical significance (p<0.05) in contingency table analysis (Chi-square for independence). Individuals with increased CAL were 2.16 times more likely (OR=2.16, 95% CI=1.47-3.17) to die due to CVD and this effect persisted even after control for age, marital status, gender, race, years of education (OR=2.03, 95% CI=1.35-3.03). CAL (continuous or dichotomous) was much higher among those who died due to diabetes mellitus or out of state of Massachusetts. However, these results were not statistically significant. The same pattern was observed with pocket depth (continuous or dichotomous), but these results were not statistically significant either. CAL seems to be more sensitive to chronic diseases than pocket depth. Among those conditions, cardiovascular disease has the strongest effect.

Is There a Relationship Between Periodontal Disease and Causes of Death? A Cross Sectional Study

The aim of this study was to evaluate whether there is any correlation between periodontal disease and mortality contributing factors, such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes mellitus in the elderly population. A dental evaluation was performed by a single examiner at Tufts University dental clinics for 284 patients. Periodontal assessments were performed by probing with a manual UNC-15 periodontal probe to measure pocket depth and clinical attachment level (CAL) at 6 sites. Causes of death abstracted from death certificate. Statistical analysis involved ANOVA, chi-square and multivariate logistic regression analysis. The demographics of the population sample indicated that, most were females (except for diabetes mellitus), white, married, completed 13 years of education and were 83 years old on average. CAL (continuous or dichotomous) and marital status attained statistical significance (p<0.05) in contingency table analysis (Chi-square for independence). Individuals with increased CAL were 2.16 times more likely (OR=2.16, 95% CI=1.47-3.17) to die due to CVD and this effect persisted even after control for age, marital status, gender, race, years of education (OR=2.03, 95% CI=1.35-3.03). CAL (continuous or dichotomous) was much higher among those who died due to diabetes mellitus or out of state of Massachusetts. However, these results were not statistically significant. The same pattern was observed with pocket depth (continuous or dichotomous), but these results were not statistically significant either. CAL seems to be more sensitive to chronic diseases than pocket depth. Among those conditions, cardiovascular disease has the strongest effect.

O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar se existe relação entre doença periodontal e fatores de mortalidade como, por ex., doenças cardiovasculares e diabetes melitus, numa amostra de pessoas idosas. Um único examinador fez avaliação dentária em 284 pacientes. As avaliações periodontais foram feitas com sonda manual UNC-15 para medir profundidade da bolsa e nível de inserção clínica em 6 pontos. As causas dos óbitos foram obtidas das certidões. Para análise estatística utilizou-se ANOVA, teste do qui-quadrado e análise de regressão logística multivariada. Os dados demográficos indicaram que a maioria era constituída de mulheres (exceto para diabetes melitus), leucodermas, casadas, completaram 13 anos de escolaridade e média de 83 anos de idade. O nível de inserção clínica (contínuo ou dicotomizado) e estado civil tiveram significância estatística (p<0,05) na análise das tabelas de contingência (qui-quadrado para independentes). O nível de inserção clínica foi 2,16 vezes mais provável causa de óbito (OR=2,16; 95%CI 1,47-3,17) por doença cardiovascular que o grupo dos sobreviventes e este efeito persistiu mesmo depois de controlados idade, estado civil, sexo, raça e anos de escolaridade (OR=2,03, 95%CI 1.35-3.03). O nível de inserção clínica (contínuo ou dicotomizado) foi muito maior entre os que morreram por diabetes melitus ou fora do estado de Massachusetts, mas estes resultados não foram estatisticamente significantes. O mesmo ocorreu com a profundidade da bolsa gengival (contínua ou dicotomizada), mas estes resultados também não foram estatisticamente significantes. Aparentemente a inserção clínica é mais afetada pelas doenças crônicas em comparação com a profundidade da bolsa. Entre estas doenças, as cardiovasculares têm efeito mais forte.