Comparison of cardiovascular disease risk in two main forms of periodontitis

Abstract

Background: C-reactive protein (CRP) is an acute phase reactant and has been proved to be a
significant predictor of future cardiovascular events. Recent studies have demonstrated a correlation
between periodontitis and elevated CRP levels. However, comparison between the levels of CRP
in two main forms of periodontitis is ambiguous. This study aims at determining and comparing the
relative levels of serum CRP in aggressive and chronic periodontitis patients.
Materials and Methods: A total of 240 systemically healthy subjects were divided into three
groups of 80 based on having generalized aggressive periodontitis, chronic generalized periodontitis
and non-periodontitis (NP; controls). Venous blood samples were collected for quantitative CRP
analysis using turbidimetric immunoassay.
Results: Mean CRP levels were significantly greater in both generalized aggressive periodontitis
(7.49±2.31 mg/l) and chronic generalized periodontitis (4.88±1.80 mg/l) groups as compared to NP
(0.68±0.23 mg/l) controls. Moreover, CRP levels were significantly higher in aggressive periodontitis
as compared to chronic periodontitis patients. Also, CRP levels positively correlated with the
amount of periodontal destruction as measured by probing depth and clinical attachment loss for
both chronic generalized periodontitis and generalized aggressive periodontitis.
Conclusion: Findings of the present study indicated that periodontitis should be of particular
concern in younger individuals, where elevated levels of CRP may contribute to early or more
rapid cardiovascular disease in susceptible patients. Thus, further research should be carried out
at a community level to ascertain these findings.
Key Words: C-reactive protein, cardiovascular disease, periodontitis