Evaluation of the association between chronic periodontitis and acute coronary syndrome: A case control study

BACKGROUND: The periodontal tissues mount an immune inflammatory response to bacteria and their products and the systemic challenge with these agents also induce a major vascular response. Although many studies have found a correlation between chronic periodontitis and cardiovascular diseases, the role of infection in acute coronary syndrome is disputed. The aim of this study is to investigate whether there is an association between chronic periodontitis and acute coronary syndrome. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 30 patients, ages ranging from 30 –80. 15 patients from A. B. Shetty Memorial Institute of Dental Sciences and 15 patients admitted to Coronary Care Unit of Justice K. S. Hegde Charitable Hospital Deralakatte Mangalore were included in the study. Variables age more than 40 and gender were also analyzed. RESULTS: Of the 30 patients analyzed in this study, periodontitis was recognized in 11 patients of the acute coronary syndrome group and 10 patients in the healthy group. Fisher's exact test yielded a p value of 0.4539 with an odds ratio of 0.727(95% confidence interval 0.151 to 3.493). CONCLUSION: No significant association was found between periodontal disease and acute coronary syndrome. Periodontitis may contribute to cardiovascular disease and stroke in susceptible subjects. Properly powered longitudinal case control and intervention trials are needed to identify how periodontitis and periodontal interventions may have an impact on cardiovascular diseases.