Association between periodontitis and cardiometabolic risk: Results from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2008-2014

BACKGROUND: Periodontitis and cardiovascular disease (CVD) share inflammation as common pathogenesis. Evaluating the association between periodontitis and CVD would be helpful to better understand the pathophysiology and various complications of periodontitis. We aimed to determine whether there is an independent relationship between periodontitis and various CVD risk indicators or prevalence. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Our study used representative data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Finally, data from 26,097 participants were used for analysis. Periodontitis was defined as a community periodontal index (CPI) ≥3. Participants were classified into 3 groups according to CPI score: Non-PO (participants without periodontitis, CPI score <3), NS-PO (participants with non-severe periodontitis, CPI score = 3), and Severe PO (participants with severe periodontitis, CPI score = 4). Cardiometabolic risk was evaluated based on metabolic syndrome, future CVD risk, and prevalent CVD. Prevalent CVD was defined as participants with cerebrovascular accidents and/or coronary artery disease. Framingham risk score (FRS) was calculated in participants without prevalent CVD. RESULTS: The numbers of participants in Non-PO, NS-PO, and Severe PO groups were 17,237, 6,738, and 2,122, respectively. The proportions of participants with high FRS and/or prevalent CVD increased as the severity of periodontitis increased. In participants without prevalent CVD, the FRS according to severity of periodontitis increased in both univariate and multivariate analyses as the severity of periodontitis increased. Logistic regression showed that the odds ratio for metabolic syndrome increased as the severity of periodontitis increased on univariate analysis and that the presence of periodontitis was associated with a higher odds ratio for metabolic syndrome on multivariate analysis. Trends for prevalent CVD were similar to those of metabolic syndrome. For participants without prevalent CVD, the odds ratio for high FRS increased as the severity of periodontitis increased in both univariate and multivariate analyses. Subgroup analyses according to sex and age showed similar trends. CONCLUSION: Periodontitis was associated with CVD in the Korean population. Therefore, those with periodontitis, especially young adults with severe periodontitis, may be closely monitored for CVD.