HbA1c levels are positively correlated with periodontitis severity before diabetes onset: Study

Written By : Medha Baranwal |Medically Reviewed By : Dr. Kamal Kant Kohli Published On 2022-07-19T20:17:00+05:30 | Updated On 19 July 2022 8:17 PM IST

Italy: Before diabetes onset, HbA1c levels are positively associated with the severity of periodontitis, a recent study in Clinical Oral Investigations has found.

Periodontitis (also called gum disease) is a serious gum infection that damages the soft tissue and if left untreated can destroy the bone that supports teeth. Periodontitis can cause teeth to loosen or lead to tooth loss.

The objective of the cross-sectional study conducted by Gaetano Isola, University of Catania, Catania, Italy, and colleagues was to investigate the association between serum glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels and periodontal status in patients with periodontitis (CP) and periodontally healthy controls. The researchers also determined if periodontitis influenced the serum HbA1c levels.

For this purpose, the researchers enrolled a total of 93 patients with CP and 95 periodontally healthy subjects using a cross-sectional design. The patients were examined at baseline and characterized on a regular basis for blood serum parameters and non-fasting blood sample levels. A full periodontal examination was performed on all patients. Clinical attachment loss (CAL) was the primary outcome variable chosen. In order to assess the relationship between HbA1c levels and periodontitis, the spearman correlation, a stepwise multivariable linear regression, and Jonckheere-Terpstra tests were applied.

Key findings include:

Patients in the CP group presented a significantly higher median serum level of HbA1c [40.9 mmol/mol)] compared to patients in the healthy control group [35.3 mmol/mol)].
HbA1c levels were negatively correlated with the number of teeth and positively correlated with C-reactive protein levels and all periodontal parameters.
There was a significant decrease in the number of teeth when HbA1c levels increased, while there was a significant increase in periodontal parameters (CAL); PD; BOP) when levels of HbA1c increased.

The researchers wrote, "patients with CP and undiagnosed diabetes presented significantly higher serum levels of HbA1c compared to periodontally healthy controls."

"The presence of periodontitis was positively correlated with serum HbA1c levels before diabetes onset," they concluded.

Reference:

Isola, G., Matarese, G., Ramaglia, L. et al. Association between periodontitis and glycosylated haemoglobin before diabetes onset: a cross-sectional study. Clin Oral Invest 24, 2799–2808 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00784-019-03143-0

Clinical Oral InvestigationsperiodontitisHbA1c

Source : Clinical Oral Investigations

Medha Baranwal

MSc. Biotechnology

Medha Baranwal joined Medical Dialogues as an Editor in 2018 for Speciality Medical Dialogues. She covers several medical specialties including Cardiac Sciences, Dentistry, Diabetes and Endo, Diagnostics, ENT, Gastroenterology, Neurosciences, and Radiology. She has completed her Bachelors in Biomedical Sciences from DU and then pursued Masters in Biotechnology from Amity University. She has a working experience of 5 years in the field of medical research writing, scientific writing, content writing, and content management. She can be contacted at editorial@medicaldialogues.in. Contact no. 011-43720751

Dr. Kamal Kant Kohli

Dr Kamal Kant Kohli-MBBS, DTCD- a chest specialist with more than 30 years of practice and a flair for writing clinical articles, Dr Kamal Kant Kohli joined Medical Dialogues as a Chief Editor of Medical News. Besides writing articles, as an editor, he proofreads and verifies all the medical content published on Medical Dialogues including those coming from journals, studies,medical conferences,guidelines etc. Email: drkohli@medicaldialogues.in. Contact no. 011-43720751