Association between periodontitis and hyperlipidemia : cause or effect ?

Aim of the study

Epidemiological studies suggest a correlation between periodontal and coronary diseases but the mechanisms have yet to be elucidated. This paper examines the correlations between periodontitis, Porphyromonas gingivalis, lipopolysaccharides (LPS) and hyperlipidemia in humans.

Materials and methods

Sera collected from 26 patients suffering from periodontitis were compared with 25 healthy controls. Antibody titres to Pg its LPS were measured using Elisa and Western blot assays. The levels of triglyceride (TG) and cholesterol (CHOL) were evaluated by a commercial laboratory. The results for periodontitis, TG, CHOL and anti-Pg antibodies were assessed by regression analysis. Levels of interleukin-1β were measured by the Elisa test.

Results

A correlation was found between periodontal disease age, and significantly elevated levels of TG, CHOL and reactions to LPS from P. gingivalis.

Conclusion

There was a highly significant relationship between periodontal disease, hyperlipidemia and anti-LPS antibodies from P. gingivalis. The production of Il-1β seems to be modulated by elevated levels of triglycerides.

Commentary

This study opens the way to future multicentre studies with a larger number of subjects. It forms another link in the chain of complex mechanisms which leads towards establishing the validity of the hypothesis that periodontal diseases are risk factors for cardiac diseases.