Higher prevalence of periodontitis in patients with refractory arterial hypertension: A case-control study

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the association of periodontitis with refractory arterial hypertension. Study design: A total of 137 patients were examined. Seventy patients (mean age of 55.2±9.2years) were included in the case group, while 67 non-hypertensive subjects (mean age of 50.0±7.2) served as a control group. Periodontal clinical examination included plaque index, bleeding on probing, probing pocket depth and clinical attachment loss (CAL). Patients with at least five sites with CAL ≥6mm were considered as severe periodontitis, and with at least 30% of the sites with CAL ≥4mm generalized chronic periodontitis. Results: The mean (±s.d.) number and percentage of sites with CAL ≥6mm were 11 (±14) and 16.6 (±14) in the case group, and 5.7 (±9.5) and 5.8 (±9.7) in the control group (P <0.05). The mean (±s.d.) percentage of sites with CAL ≥4mm was 37 (±29.6) in the case group and 21.2 (±20) in the control group (P <0.05). The significant associations with arterial hypertension were severe chronic periodontitis (OR=4.04, 95% CI: 1.92; 8.49) and generalized chronic periodontitis (OR=2.18, 95% CI: 1.04; 4.56). Conclusions: Severe and generalized chronic periodontitis seem to play a role as risk indicators for hypertensive patients. © 2011 John Wiley & Sons A/S.