Periodontitis tied to increased risk of dyslipidemia: Study

Iran: Periodontitis is associated with an increased risk of dyslipidemia, states an article published in the Journal of Diabetes & Metabolic Disorders.

Periodontitis(PD) is a chronic inflammatory gum disease that is triggered by bacterial microorganisms and it can also lead to other health problems. Periodontitis is highly prevalent in developed as well as developing countries, affecting nearly 20-50% of the global population. It plays a major role as a  risk factor for systemic derangements such as hormonal changes, cardiovascular disease, adverse outcomes in pregnancy, etc.

The increased presence of pro-inflammatory cytokines seen in chronic periodontitis, which is a cause of increased oxidative stress, can be the possible cause for the increase in serum lipid levels. A lipid profile or lipid panel is a panel of blood tests used to find abnormalities in lipids, such as cholesterol and triglycerides. The results of this test can determine approximate risks for cardiovascular disease, certain forms of pancreatitis, and other diseases. To date, the data available on the association of periodontal diseases with the lipid profile are conflicting.

Ahmadreza Mirzaei, Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Karaj, Iran, and his team conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the association of PD with lipid profile.

Researchers did a comprehensive literature search in electronic databases including PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus for cross-sectional, case-control, and cohort studies investigating the relationship between PD and lipid profile. Screening, data extraction, and quality assessment were performed and a random-effect model was used to pool the effect size. Odds ratio (OR) was used as effect size for the association of PD with Hyperlipidemia, and SMD was used for the association of PD with the mean level of lipid profile. Overall, 34 documents met the inclusion criteria for the systematic review, and 31 were included for the meta-analysis. 16 studies were cross-sectional, 16 case-control, and two cohorts.

Key findings of the analysis,

• PD increased the odds of dyslipidemia by 15%.

• The Association of PD with low HDL, high LDL, hypertriglyceridemia, and hypercholesteremia was not statistically significant.

• The mean level of HDL in patients with PD was significantly lower than in subjects without PD.

• The mean level of LDL, TC, and TG in patients with PD were significantly higher than in subjects without PD.

The authors conclude that there is an association between periodontitis and increased odds of dyslipidemia and thus, treating periodontitis may improve dyslipidemia, mainly HDL and triglyceride levels.

Reference:

Mirzaei, A., Shahrestanaki, E., Malmir, H. et al. Association of periodontitis with lipid profile: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis. J Diabetes Metab Disord (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40200-022-01071-7