Salivary oxidative stress biomarkers in chronic periodontitis and acute coronary syndrome

The study aimed at assessing oxidative stress (OS) biomarker levels in the saliva of patients with chronic periodontitis (CP) and acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and establishing their correlation to periodontal parameters and markers for cardiovascular events. The present study enrolled 24 patients with ACS and CP (the ACSCP group), 24 patients with ACS only (the ACS group), 24 patients with CP only (the CP group), and 24 healthy controls. Plaque index (PI), gingival index, bleeding on probing, probing pocket depth (PPD), and clinical attachment loss were recorded. Markers for cardiovascular events included serum high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and plasma fibrinogen. 8-Hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), protein carbonyl (PC), malondialdehyde (MDA), and total antioxidant capacity (TAOC) were used as OS biomarkers. Salivary 8-OHdG, MDA, and PC levels were significantly higher in the ACSCP, ACS, and CP groups than in healthy controls (p < 0.05). There were significant correlations between salivary PC levels and PI or PPD (p < 0.05) as well as between salivary 8-OHdG levels and all periodontal parameters (p < 0.05). TAOC levels in saliva were correlated to both serum hsCRP and plasma fibrinogen (p < 0.05). Salivary MDA levels were correlated to all periodontal parameters and biomarkers for cardiovascular events (p < 0.05). Salivary OS biomarker levels were higher in diseased groups compared to control. They also correlated to clinical periodontal parameters and markers for cardiovascular events in ACS patients, with or without CP. Salivary OS biomarkers could potentially serve as diagnostic tools for cardiovascular and/or periodontal diseases.