Periodontal Diseases and Systemic Inflammation

Risk factors of periodontal disease in maintenance hemodialysis patients

To explore the characteristics and relevant risk factors of periodontal disease (PD) among hemodialysis patients.Uremic patients on maintenance hemodialysis from November 2015 to March 2016 were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were divided into a PD group and a non-PD group. Demographic and laboratory data were collected and analyzed.In all, 136 uremic patients (79 males and 57 females, aged 50.8 ± 15.3 years) on maintenance hemodialysis were included in this study. The incidence of PD increased with age. Hemodialysis patients most likely developed PD if they were male, smokers, or diabetic (P = .009, <.001, and <.001, respectively). Patients brushing their teeth twice daily had significantly less chance of developing PD as compared with those only brushing once daily (P < .001). Hemodialysis patients in the PD group had significantly higher levels of total cholesterol, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, fasting blood glucose, and peripheral white blood cell counts, compared with the non-PD group (all P < .001). Logistic regression analysis revealed that diabetes, total cholesterol, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, and peripheral white blood cell count were independent risk factors for developing PD, whereas teeth brushing twice daily and serum calcium were favorable factors for maintenance hemodialysis patients against PD.Identification of risk factors provides a theoretical basis for prevention and improvement of PD among maintenance hemodialysis patients.

Experimental Periodontitis in the Potentialization of the Effects of Immobilism in the Skeletal Striated Muscle

This study aims to evaluate if ligature-induced periodontitis can potentiates the deleterious effects of immobilization in the skeletal striated muscle, contributing to the development of muscle atrophy due to disuse. Forty Wistar rats were divided into four groups: (1) Control Group (CG), (2) Periodontal Disease (PDG), (3) Immobilized (IG), and (4) Immobilized with Periodontal Disease (IPDG). Periodontal disease was induced for 30 days, with ligature method, and the immobilization was performed with cast bandage for 15 days. Prior to euthanasia, nociceptive threshold and muscular grasping force were evaluated. Afterwards, the soleus muscle was dissected and processed for sarcomere counting and morphological/morphometric analysis. For data analysis, was used the one-way ANOVA and post-test Tukey (p < 0.05). The IG and IPDG presented lower muscle weight, lower muscular grip strength, and less number of sarcomeres compared to CG. The PDG showed reduction of muscle strength and nociceptive threshold after 15 days of periodontal disease and increased connective tissue compared to CG. The IPDG presented lower muscle length and nociceptive threshold. The IG presented reduction in cross-sectional area and smaller diameter, increase in the number of nuclei and a nucleus/fiber ratio, decrease in the number of capillaries and capillary/fiber ratio, with increase in connective tissue. The IPDG had increased nucleus/fiber ratio, decreased capillaries, and increased connective tissue when compared to the IG. The IPDG presented greater muscle tissue degeneration and increased inflammatory cells compared to the other groups. Ligature-induced periodontitis potentiated the deleterious effects of immobilization of the skeletal striated muscle.

Caracterização da saúde bucal de indivíduos renais crônicos aptos a transplante

ResumoIntroduçãoA doença renal crônica leva a alterações salivares que interferem na saúde bucal. A imunossupressão no pós-transplante pode facilitar que situações restritas à boca se tornem sistêmicas.ObjetivoCaracterizar a saúde bucal de pacientes renais crônicos aptos a transplante, avaliando fluxo e pH salivar, capacidade tamponante salivar (CTS), lesões estomatológicas, sangramento gengival, cálculo e índice de dentes cariados, perdidos e obturados (CPOD).Material e métodoEstudo transversal, observacional e analítico. Foi coletada saliva não estimulada de 83 voluntários, com hipofluxo salivar caracterizado como < 0,3 mL/min. O pH salivar foi mensurado por fita e considerado alcalino quando > 7. A CTS foi avaliada pela Técnica de Ericsson. Um único examinador calibrado procedeu às avaliações clínicas. Foram utilizados Teste Exato de Fisher, ANOVA e Regressão Linear, com nível de significância de 0,05 e Intervalo de Confiança de 95%.ResultadoHipofluxo salivar esteve presente em 61% da amostra e foi influenciado pelo ganho hídrico interdialítico (p=0,01). A presença de pH salivar alcalino foi influenciada pela ureia sérica (p<0,01) e pela hiperfosfatemia (p=0,01). A CTS foi ótima em 92% e sofreu influência do pH salivar (p=0,02). Três indivíduos apresentaram lesões estomatológicas infecciosas. Sangramento gengival esteve presente em 55%, cálculo em 94% e cárie em 88%. O índice CPOD da amostra foi 17,9 ± 7,48.ConclusãoA saúde bucal dos voluntários foi considerada precária e esse agravo pode se tornar mais maléfico se esses indivíduos forem transplantados. Salienta-se a importância da inserção do Dentista na equipe que assiste o renal crônico.

Association among oral health parameters, periodontitis, and its treatment and mortality in patients undergoing hemodialysis

BACKGROUND

Chronic periodontitis (CP) is a continuous, reversible source of inflammation with a potential impact on mortality in patients undergoing hemodialysis (HD). This study investigates the impact of oral health indicators, CP, and its treatment on survival rates in a group of patients undergoing HD.

METHODS

Clinically stable patients undergoing HD were referred for a dental examination. All patients were prospectively followed in the dialysis clinic, and all-cause mortality was recorded. Three groups of patients were analyzed: those who received CP treatment, those who did not, and patients without CP as a control group.

RESULTS

A total of 122 patients (79 males and 43 females, aged 23 to 77 years; mean age: 50 years; range: 23 to 77 years) were enrolled. Forty percent reported having rarely been evaluated by a dentist, and 59% had CP. There were 34 fatal events during a mean follow-up time of 64.1 ± 11.2 months. Oral factors associated with death in the univariate analysis were decreased frequency of dental visits; non-use of dental floss; increased decayed, missing, and filled teeth index; presence of CP; and absence of CP treatment. Patients with CP had a higher risk of death from all causes compared with patients without CP in the univariate analysis for untreated patients (hazard ratio 2.65 [95% confidence interval 1.06 to 6.59]; P = 0.036) and to a lesser extent for treated patients (2.36 [1.01 to 5.59]; P = 0.047). These significant differences were not maintained after adjustments for confounders in the multivariate model.

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest that poor oral health, including CP, is a common finding in patients undergoing HD. The results of this study call for intervention trials to test the hypothesis that treatment of CP improves survival in maintenance of patients undergoing HD.