Periodontal and oral microbiological status of an adult population undergoing haemodialysis:: a cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this cross-sectional study was to evaluate the periodontal status and oral microbiological patterns of a population with end-stage renal disease (ESRD), undergoing haemodialysis (HD). DESIGN: This was a cross-sectional study, involving 52 patients from the Nephrology Department and 52 matched control subjects. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The subjects had a periodontal clinical examination; subgingival plaque samples were taken and analysed using a semiquantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test to detect Porphyromas gingivalis, Tannerella forsythia, Prevotella intermedia, Prevotella nigrescens and Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans. Subgingival plaque and saliva samples were studied for Candida and Enterobacteriaceae. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Most of the 104 subjects had some degree of loss of periodontal attachment (LPA) >= 3 mm [11 (10.5%) had severe LPA; 16 (15.4%) moderate LPA; and 64 (61.5%) mild LPA]. Only 13 subjects (12.5%) presented good periodontal health. RESULTS: No statistically significant differences were found between the HD patients and the control group regarding bleeding index, number of teeth, or percentage of LPA >= 3 mm. However, a statistically significant difference was seen in the degree of oral hygiene. CONCLUSIONS: On the basis of the findings presented here, we cannot associate ESRD with more severe periodontal destruction. Although HD patients presented a higher number of periodontopathic microorganisms than the matched controls, a prolonged duration of HD did not bear a statistically significant relationship with the percentage of sites with LPA >= 3 mm, specific microbiota or composition of biofilm.