Effects of nonsurgical periodontal therapy on C-reactive protein and serum lipids in Jordanian adults with advanced periodontitis

Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials evaluating the efficacy of non-surgical periodontal treatment in patients with concurrent systemic conditions

OBJECTIVE

To conduct a systematic review of the published scientific evidence to evaluate the efficacy of nonsurgical periodontal therapy (NSPT) in treating periodontitis in patients with concurrent systemic conditions (diabetes, CVD, erectile dysfunction, chronic kidney disease, rheumatoid arthritis, polycystic ovarian syndrome, obesity, pregnancy). We hypothesised that NSPT results in better periodontal outcomes when compared to untreated controls after follow-up.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A systematic search (PUBMED/EMBASE) was conducted from 1995 to 2023 to identify randomised controlled trials (RCTs) with a minimum follow-up of 3 months. The primary outcome was the difference in mean probing depth (PD), and the secondary outcomes were mean clinical attachment loss (CAL), percentage of sites with PD ≤ 3 mm (%PD ≤ 3 mm) and percentage of sites with bleeding on probing (%BOP) between the treated and untreated control group in patients with comorbidities.

RESULTS

The electronic search resulted in 2,403 hits. After removing duplicates, 1,565 titles and abstracts were screened according to the eligibility criteria, resulting in 126 articles for full-text screening. Following this, 44 studies were analysed. Restricting to studies with low bias or some concerns, NSPT group demonstrated a 0.55 mm lower mean PD (95%CI: -0.69; -0.41) after 3 months compared to the control group.

CONCLUSION

Compared to the untreated controls, NSPT notably reduced mean PD, mean CAL, and %BOP while increasing %PD ≤ 3 mm in patients with concurrent systemic conditions. These findings suggest that NSPT is also an effective procedure in managing periodontitis in patients with concurrent systemic conditions.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

This systematic review was registered under the protocol registration number CRD42021241517/PROSPERO.

Oral health and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease: A review

Periodontal disease (PD) is common in the US and globally. Evidence suggests that poor oral health is associated with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD); however, this relationship has not been a major focus in clinical cardiology. This manuscript will review the growing evidence linking PD to ASCVD, including pathophysiologic mechanisms and coexistent risk factors. Public health considerations with a focus on disparities, social determinants, preventive strategies, and a call to action to reduce the burden of coincident ASCVD and PD are also reviewed.

[Effect of scaling and root planing on serum C-reactive protein levels in patients with moderate to severe chronic periodontitis: a systematic review and Meta-analysis]

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the effect of scaling and root planing (SRP) on serum C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in patients with moderate to severe chronic periodontitis.

METHODS

We searched the PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, Cochrane, CNKI, Wanfang, and VIP databases from the inception to July 8th, 2019. Two reviewers independently screened literature, extracted data, and evaluated the bias risk of included studies. Then, a meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.3 software.

RESULTS

A total of 13 randomized controlled clinical trials and 12 prospective clinical trials were included. Meta-analysis showed that serum CRP levels decreased at 2 and 3 months after SRP (P<0.05), and no significant difference in serum CRP levels was found at 6 months (P=0.49).

CONCLUSIONS

SRP can reduce serum CRP levels in systematically healthy patients with moderate to severe chronic periodontitis at 2 and 3 months after SRP.

Reporting quality and spin in abstracts of randomized clinical trials of periodontal therapy and cardiovascular disease outcomes

OBJECTIVE

Poor reporting in randomized clinical trial (RCT) abstracts reduces quality and misinforms readers. Spin, a biased presentation of findings, could frequently mislead clinicians to accept a clinical intervention despite non-significant primary outcome. Therefore, good reporting practices and absence of spin enhances research quality. We aim to assess the reporting quality and spin in abstracts of RCTs evaluating the effect of periodontal therapy on cardiovascular (CVD) outcomes.

METHODS

PubMed, Scopus, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), and 17 trial registration platforms were searched. Cohort, non-randomized, non-English studies, and pediatric studies were excluded. RCT abstracts were reviewed by 2 authors using the CONSORT for abstracts and spin checklists for data extraction. Cohen's Kappa statistic was used to assess inter-rater agreement. Data on the selected RCT publication metrics were collected. Descriptive analysis was performed with non-parametric methods. Correlation analysis between quality, spin and bibliometric parameters was conducted.

RESULTS

24 RCTs were selected for CONSORT analysis and 14 fulfilled the criteria for spin analysis. Several important RCT elements per CONSORT were neglected in the abstract including description of the study population (100%), explicitly stated primary outcome (87%), methods of randomization and blinding (100%), trial registration (87%). No RCT examined true outcomes (CVD events). A significant fraction of the abstracts appeared with at least one form of spin in the results and conclusions (86%) and claimed some treatment benefit in spite of non-significant primary outcome (64%). High-quality reporting had a significant positive correlation with reporting of trial registration (p = 0.04) and funding (p = 0.009). Spinning showed marginal negative correlation with reporting quality (p = 0.059).

CONCLUSION

Poor adherence to the CONSORT guidelines and high levels of data spin were found in abstracts of RCTs exploring the effects of periodontal therapy on CVD outcomes. Our findings indicate that journal editors and reviewers should consider strict adherence to proper reporting guidelines to improve reporting quality and reduce waste.

Periodontal therapy for primary or secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease in people with periodontitis

BACKGROUND

There may be an association between periodontitis and cardiovascular disease (CVD); however, the evidence so far has been uncertain about whether periodontal therapy can help prevent CVD in people diagnosed with chronic periodontitis. This is the second update of a review originally published in 2014, and first updated in 2017. Although there is a new multidimensional staging and grading system for periodontitis, we have retained the label 'chronic periodontitis' in this version of the review since available studies are based on the previous classification system.

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the effects of periodontal therapy for primary or secondary prevention of CVD in people with chronic periodontitis.

SEARCH METHODS

Cochrane Oral Health's Information Specialist searched the Cochrane Oral Health's Trials Register, CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, and CINAHL, two trials registries, and the grey literature to September 2019. We placed no restrictions on the language or date of publication. We also searched the Chinese BioMedical Literature Database, the China National Knowledge Infrastructure, the VIP database, and Sciencepaper Online to August 2019.

SELECTION CRITERIA

We included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) that compared active periodontal therapy to no periodontal treatment or a different periodontal treatment. We included studies of participants with a diagnosis of chronic periodontitis, either with CVD (secondary prevention studies) or without CVD (primary prevention studies).

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Two review authors carried out the study identification, data extraction, and 'Risk of bias' assessment independently and in duplicate. They resolved any discrepancies by discussion, or with a third review author. We adopted a formal pilot-tested data extraction form, and used the Cochrane tool to assess the risk of bias in the studies. We used GRADE criteria to assess the certainty of the evidence.

MAIN RESULTS

We included two RCTs in the review. One study focused on the primary prevention of CVD, and the other addressed secondary prevention. We evaluated both as being at high risk of bias. Our primary outcomes of interest were death (all-cause and CVD-related) and all cardiovascular events, measured at one-year follow-up or longer. For primary prevention of CVD in participants with periodontitis and metabolic syndrome, one study (165 participants) provided very low-certainty evidence. There was only one death in the study; we were unable to determine whether scaling and root planning plus amoxicillin and metronidazole could reduce incidence of all-cause death (Peto odds ratio (OR) 7.48, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.15 to 376.98), or all CVD-related death (Peto OR 7.48, 95% CI 0.15 to 376.98). We could not exclude the possibility that scaling and root planning plus amoxicillin and metronidazole could increase cardiovascular events (Peto OR 7.77, 95% CI 1.07 to 56.1) compared with supragingival scaling measured at 12-month follow-up. For secondary prevention of CVD, one pilot study randomised 303 participants to receive scaling and root planning plus oral hygiene instruction (periodontal treatment) or oral hygiene instruction plus a copy of radiographs and recommendation to follow-up with a dentist (community care). As cardiovascular events had been measured for different time periods of between 6 and 25 months, and only 37 participants were available with at least one-year follow-up, we did not consider the data to be sufficiently robust for inclusion in this review. The study did not evaluate all-cause death and all CVD-related death. We are unable to draw any conclusions about the effects of periodontal therapy on secondary prevention of CVD.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

For primary prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in people diagnosed with periodontitis and metabolic syndrome, very low-certainty evidence was inconclusive about the effects of scaling and root planning plus antibiotics compared to supragingival scaling. There is no reliable evidence available regarding secondary prevention of CVD in people diagnosed with chronic periodontitis and CVD. Further trials are needed to reach conclusions about whether treatment for periodontal disease can help prevent occurrence or recurrence of CVD.

Periodontal therapy for the management of cardiovascular disease in patients with chronic periodontitis

BACKGROUND

There is an association between chronic periodontitis and cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, it is not known whether periodontal therapy could prevent or manage CVD in patients with chronic periodontitis.

OBJECTIVES

The objective of this systematic review was to investigate the effects of periodontal therapy in preventing the occurrence of, and management or recurrence of, CVD in patients with chronic periodontitis.

SEARCH METHODS

Cochrane Oral Health's Information Specialist searched the following databases: Cochrane Oral Health's Trials Register (to 31 August 2017), the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (the Cochrane Library, 2017, Issue 7), MEDLINE Ovid (1946 to 31 August 2017), Embase Ovid (1980 to 31 August 2017) and the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL EBSCO) (1937 to 31 August 2017) . The US National Institutes of Health Trials Registry (ClinicalTrials.gov), the World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform and Open Grey were searched for ongoing trials. No restrictions were placed on the language or date of publication when searching the electronic databases.We also searched the Chinese BioMedical Literature Database (1978 to 27 August 2017), the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (1994 to 27 August 2017), the VIP database (1989 to 27 August 2017) and Sciencepaper Online (2003 to 27 August 2017).

SELECTION CRITERIA

Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and quasi-RCTs were considered eligible. Studies were selected if they included patients with a diagnosis of chronic periodontitis and previous CVD (secondary prevention studies) or no CVD (primary prevention studies); patients in the intervention group received active periodontal therapy compared to maintenance therapy, no periodontal treatment or another kind of periodontal treatment in the control group.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Two review authors carried out the study identification, data extraction and risk of bias assessment independently and in duplicate. Any discrepancies between the two authors were resolved by discussion or with a third review author. A formal pilot-tested data extraction form was adopted for the data extraction, and the Cochrane tool for risk of bias assessment was used for the critical appraisal of the literature.

MAIN RESULTS

No studies were identified that assessed primary prevention of CVD in people with periodontitis. One study involving 303 participants with ≥ 50% blockage of one coronary artery or a coronary event within three years, but not the three months prior, was included. The study was at high risk of bias due to deviation from the protocol treatment allocation and lack of follow-up data. The trial compared scaling and root planing (SRP) with community care for a follow-up period of six to 25 months. No data on deaths (all-cause or CVD-related) were reported. There was insufficient evidence to determine the effect of SRP and community care in reducing the risk of CVD recurrence in patients with chronic periodontitis (risk ratio (RR) 0.72; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.23 to 2.22; very low quality evidence). The effects of SRP compared with community care on high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) (mean difference (MD) 0.62; -1.45 to 2.69), the number of patients with high hs-CRP (RR 0.77; 95% CI 0.32 to 1.85) and adverse events (RR 9.06; 95% CI 0.49 to 166.82) were also not statistically significant. The study did not assess modifiable cardiovascular risk factors, other blood test results, heart function parameters or revascularisation procedures.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

We found very low quality evidence that was insufficient to support or refute whether periodontal therapy can prevent the recurrence of CVD in the long term in patients with chronic periodontitis. No evidence on primary prevention was found.

Influence of obesity on the outcome of non-surgical periodontal therapy - a systematic review

BACKGROUND

Obesity and periodontitis are important chronic health problems. Obesity is associated with an increased prevalence of periodontitis. Whether obesity also affects the outcome of non-surgical periodontal therapy is to date still unclear.

METHODS

A systematic review of studies referenced in SCOPUS, MEDLINE, PubMed, Cochrane, CINAHL, Biosis and Web of Science was performed. Titles, abstracts and finally full texts were scrutinized for possible inclusion by two independent investigators. Quality and heterogeneity of the studies were assessed and the study designs were examined. Probing pocket depth reduction was analyzed as primary surrogate parameter for therapeutic success after non-surgical periodontal therapy.

RESULTS

One-hundred-and-fifty-nine potentially qualifying studies were screened. Eight studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were analyzed. Three of eight studies failed to show an influence of obesity on pocket depth reduction after non-surgical therapy. The remaining five studies documented a clear negative effect on the outcome of non-surgical periodontal therapy. The finally included studies did not correspond to the highest level of quality (RCTs). Due to the heterogeneity of the data a meta-analysis was not possible.

CONCLUSION

The literature on the effect of obesity on the treatment outcome of non-surgical periodontal therapy remains controversial. The data, however, support that obesity is not only a factor associated with poorer periodontal health but might also result in inferior response to non-surgical treatment of periodontitis.

Effects of non-surgical periodontal therapy on serum lipids and C-reactive protein among hyperlipidemic patients with chronic periodontitis

Aim:

To evaluate the effect of non-surgical periodontal therapy on plasma lipid levels in hyperlipidemic patients with chronic periodontitis.

Materials and Methods:

After considering the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 30 hyperlipidemic patients with chronic periodontitis in the age group of 30–70 years, undergoing treatment in Ahmed Gasim Cardiac and Renal transplant Centre in north Sudan were recruited for the study. Patients were randomly assigned to the study and control groups. The study group received non-surgical periodontal therapy – oral hygiene instructions, scaling and root planing. The control group participants received only oral hygiene instructions. Lipid profile [total cholesterol (TC), low density lipoprotein (LDL), high density lipoprotein (HDL), triglycerides (TG)], C-reactive protein (CRP), and periodontal parameters [Plaque index (PI), Gingival index (GI), probing pocket depth (PD), and attachment loss (ATL)] were measured and compared at baseline and after 3 months of the respective intervention. Between-groups analysis was done using independent “t” test and within-group analysis was done using dependent “t” test.

Results:

At baseline, groups were comparable based on lipid profile and periodontal parameters. After 3 months, the control group showed significant decrease in the PI and GI scores while there was no significant change in the other parameters. However, the study group showed significant decrease in the LDL and CRP levels along with a significant decrease in PD, ATL, PI, and GI scores, compared to the baseline values.

Conclusion:

Local non-surgical periodontal therapy resulted in improved periodontal health, with significant decrease in the LDL and CRP levels in hyperlipidemic patients with chronic periodontitis. Hence, local non-surgical periodontal therapy may be considered as an adjunct in the control of hyperlipidemia, along with standard care.

Effects of periodontal therapy on C-reactive protein and HDL in serum of subjects with periodontitis

Objective

To investigate the effects of nonsurgical periodontal therapy on levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein in the sera and its association with body mass index and high density lipoprotein in subjects with severe periodontitis.

Methods

Sera from 28 subjects (mean age: 34.36±6.24; 32% men) with severe periodontitis and 27 healthy controls (mean age: 33.18±6.42; 33% men) were collected prior to periodontal therapy. Blood samples were obtained from 23 subjects who completed therapy (9-12 months). Oral and systemic parameters such as the number of blood cells, glucose examination, lipid profile, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein levels accessed by high-sensitivity immunonephelometry assay, were included.

Results

Before therapy, in the periodontitis group, the ratio of subjects with high-sensitivity C-reactive protein <0.3 mg/dL was statistically lower than in the control group (P<0.0216). After therapy, the ratio of subjects with high-sensitivity C-reactive protein <0.3 mg/dL was significantly higher (65.22%) (P<0.0339). The mean value for body mass index was statistically lower in subjects with high-sensitivity C-reactive protein <0.3 mg/dL (24.63±4.19), compared with those with high-sensitivity C-reactive protein >0.3 mg/dL (28.91±6.03) (P<0.0411). High density lipoprotein presented a mean value statistically higher after therapy (P<0.0027).

Conclusion

In systemically healthy subjects with periodontitis, periodontal therapy was associated with decreased levels of circulating high-sensitivity C-reactive protein and increase of high density lipoprotein in serum. The clinical trial was registered at http://www.clinicaltrials.gov.br/, No. RBR-24T799.

Impact of scaling and root planing on C-reactive protein levels in gingival crevicular fluid and serum in chronic periodontitis patients with or without diabetes mellitus

Purpose

The present study was conducted to evaluate the impact of scaling and root planing (SRP) on the C-reactive protein (CRP) levels of gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) and serum in chronic periodontitis patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM-CP) or without type 2 diabetes mellitus (NDM-CP).

Methods

Forty-eight human participants were divided into two groups: an experimental (T2DM-CP) group (group I, n=24) comprising chronic periodontitis patients with random blood sugar ≥200 mg/dL and type 2 diabetes mellitus, and control (NDM-CP) group (group II, n=24) of those with chronic periodontitis and random blood sugar <200 without T2DM for the study. All subjects underwent nonsurgical periodontal therapy (NSPT) including complete SRP and subgingival debridement. Periodontal health parameters, plaque index (PI), gingival index (GI), probing pocket depth (PPD), clinical attachment level (CAL), GCF volume (GCF vol), GCF-CRP, random blood glucose (RBS), glycated hemoglobin, and systemic inflammatory markers, serum CRP, total leukocyte count (TLC), neutrophil count (Neutr) and lymphocyte count (Lymph), were evaluated at baseline, 1 month, and 3 months after SRP.

Results

NSPT resulted in statistically significant improvement in periodontal health parameters (PI, GI, PPD, CAL, GCF vol), CRP levels in serum as well as GCF of both groups I and II. The mean improvement in periodontal health parameters (PI, GI, PPD, CAL, GCF vol), CRP levels in serum and GCF was greater in group I than group II after NSPT. There was nonsignificant increase in GCF-CRP, TLC, Lymph, and RBS, and a significant increase in Neutr and Serum CRP in group II at 1 month. The Serum CRP level of 20 out of 24 group II patients had also increased at 1 month.

Conclusions

The CRP levels in both GCF and serum were higher in T2DM-CP patients than in NDM-CP patients. Although there was a significant improvement in both the groups, greater improvement was observed in both GCF and serum samples of T2DM-CP patients.

Graphical Abstract

Risk factors of periodontal disease: review of the literature

Objectives. This paper aims to review the evidence on the potential roles of modifiable and nonmodifiable risk factors associated with periodontal disease. Data. Original articles that reported on the risk factors for periodontal disease were included. Sources. MEDLINE (1980 to Jan 2014), PubMed (using medical subject headings), and Google Scholar were searched using the following terms in different combinations: "periodontal disease," "periodontitis," "risk factors," and "causal." This was supplemented by hand-searching in peer-reviewed journals and cross-referenced with the articles accessed. Conclusions. It is important to understand the etiological factors and the pathogenesis of periodontal disease to recognize and appreciate the associated risk factors. As periodontal disease is multifactorial, effective disease management requires a clear understanding of all the associated risk factors.

Relationship between the oral cavity and cardiovascular diseases and metabolic syndrome

The components of the human body are closely interdependent; as a result, disease conditions in some organs or components can influence the development of disease in other body locations. The effect of oral health upon health in general has been investigated for decades by many epidemiological studies. In this context, there appears to be a clear relationship between deficient oral hygiene and different systemic disorders such as cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome. The precise relationship between them is the subject of ongoing research, and a variety of theories have been proposed, though most of them postulate the mediation of an inflammatory response. This association between the oral cavity and disease in general requires further study, and health professionals should be made aware of the importance of adopting measures destined to promote correct oral health. The present study conducts a Medline search with the purpose of offering an update on the relationship between oral diseases and cardiovascular diseases, together with an evaluation of the bidirectional relationship between metabolic syndrome and periodontal disease. Most authors effectively describe a moderate association between the oral cavity and cardiovascular diseases, though they also report a lack of scientific evidence that oral alterations constitute an independent cause of cardiovascular diseases, or that their adequate treatment can contribute to prevent such diseases. In the case of metabolic syndrome, obesity and particularly diabetes mellitus may be associated to an increased susceptibility to periodontitis. However, it is not clear whether periodontal treatment is able to improve the systemic conditions of these patients.

Key words:Cardiovascular diseases, periodontitis, metabolic syndrome, obesity, diabetes mellitus.

The influence of anti-infective periodontal treatment on C-reactive protein: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Background

Periodontal infections are hypothesized to increase the risk of adverse systemic outcomes through inflammatory mechanisms. The magnitude of effect, if any, of anti-infective periodontal treatment on systemic inflammation is unknown, as are the patient populations most likely to benefit. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to test the hypothesis that anti-infective periodontal treatment reduces systemic c-reactive protein (CRP).

Methods and Findings

MEDLINE, EMBASE, CENTRAL and CINAHL databases were searched using sensitivity-enhancing search terms. Eligible RCTs enrolled patients with periodontal infection, compared a clearly defined anti-infective periodontal intervention (experimental group) to an “inactive control” (no periodontal intervention) or to an “active control” (lower treatment intensity than the experimental group). Mean differences in final CRP values at the earliest post-treatment time point (typically 1-3 months) between experimental and control groups were analyzed using random-effects regression. Among 2,753 possible studies 20 were selected, which included 2,561 randomized patients(median=57). Baseline CRP values were >3.0 mg/L in 40% of trials. Among studies with a control group receiving no treatment, the mean difference in CRP final values among experimental treatment vs. control groups was -0.37 mg/L [95%CI=-0.64, -0.11], (P=0.005), favoring experimental treatment. Trials for which the experimental group received antibiotics had stronger effects (P for interaction=0.03) and the mean difference in CRP final values among experimental treatment vs. control was -0.75 mg/L [95%CI=-1.17,-0.33]. No treatment effect was observed among studies using an active treatment comparator. Treatment effects were stronger for studies that included patients with co-morbidities vs. studies that included “systemically healthy” patients, although the interaction was not significant (P=0.48).

Conclusions

Anti-infective periodontal treatment results in short-term modest reductions in systemic CRP.