Periodontitis is associated with subclinical cerebral and carotid atherosclerosis in hypertensive patients: A cross-sectional study

ObjectiveTo examine the relationship between periodontitis and subclinical intracranial atherosclerosis. The association of periodontitis with preclinical markers of atherosclerosis in other vascular territories was also explored.Material and methodsThis was a cross-sectional study where 97 elderly subjects with a previous history of hypertension received an ultrasonographic evaluation to assess subclinical atherosclerosis in different vascular territories: (1) cerebral [pulsatility (PI) and resistance index (RI) of the middle cerebral artery], (2) carotid [intima-media thickness (IMT)], and (3) peripheral [ankle-brachial index (ABI)]. Additionally, participants underwent a full-mouth periodontal assessment together with blood sample collection to determine levels of inflammatory biomarkers (leukocytes, fibrinogen, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate), lipid fractions (total cholesterol and high- and low-density lipoprotein), and glucose.ResultsSixty-one individuals had periodontitis. Compared to subjects without periodontitis, those with periodontitis showed higher values of PI (1.24 +/- 0.29 vs 1.01 +/- 0.16), RI (0.70 +/- 0.14 vs 0.60 +/- 0.06), and IMT (0.94 +/- 0.15 vs 0.79 +/- 0.15) (all p < 0.001). No statistically significant differences were found neither for ABI or for other clinical and biochemical parameters. An independent association was found between periodontitis and increased intracranial atherosclerosis (ORadjusted = 10.16; 95% CI: 3.14-32.90, p < 0.001) and to a lesser extent with thicker carotid IMT (ORadjusted = 4.10; 95% CI: 1.61-10.48, p = 0.003).ConclusionsPeriodontitis is associated with subclinical atherosclerosis in both intracranial and carotid arteries in elderly subjects with hypertension.