Severe periodontitis associated with metabolic syndrome in middle-aged subjects
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Both periodontitis and the metabolic syndrome are associated with low-grade systemic inflammation and procoagulant states, dyslipidaemia, insulin resistance, abnormal glucose homeostasis, and endothelial dysfunction, as well as with incident atherothrombosis, possibly as a result of shared determinants. This cross-sectional survey of a nationally representative sample of the non-institutionalized civilians in the United States aimed to assess the association between periodontitis and metabolic syndrome. Data analysis was conducted on 13,994 men and women aged ≥17 years from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), receiving periodontal examination. The prevalence of metabolic syndrome was 18% among subjects with no-mild, 34% among those with moderate, and 37% among those with severe periodontitis. Compared to unaffected subjects, participants aged >45 years suffering from severe periodontitis were 2.31 times more likely to have metabolic syndrome after adjusting for confounding variables. Metabolic syndrome diagnosis increased by 1.12 time per 10% increase in gingival bleeding and by 1.13 time per 10% increase in the proportion of periodontal pockets. In conclusion, severe periodontitis appears to be associated with metabolic syndrome in middle-aged subjects. Further studies are needed to examine whether improvements in dental health would lead to reductions in metabolic syndrome components.
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