Preliminary study of the periodontal status of patients with ischemic stroke

Abstract

Introduction: periodontitis is reported as a risk factor for diseases such as diabetes mellitus, preterm births, low weight neonates, and respiratory infections among others. The relationship between periodontal disease and diseases caused by atherosclerosis such as ischemic stroke and myocardial infarction has been emphasized.
Objective: to determine the possible association between periodontal disease and atherothrombotic ischemic cerebral infarction (AICI).
Materials and Methods: in the period from October 2015 to March 2016, an observational, case-control, cross-sectional study was carried out at the Hospitals "Freyre de Andrade" and " Dr. Luis Díaz Soto". Risk factors were recorded for AICI and the periodontal state, according to the revised Periodontal Russell’s Index. The control group was homologated for cases at a ratio of 1x1, based on age, sex, skin color and at least 1 recognized AICI risk factor. Bioethical principles and regulations for biomedical research were respected. Summary measures were used for qualitative data (absolute frequencies and percentages).
Results: 44 patients were studied, 22 cases and 22 controls, most of them aged 71 or more years, male and white. Patients with periodontal disease predominated over the periodontally healthy ones (88, 6 % y 11, 4 % respectively). Periodontitis was the most prevalent condition. High blood pressure was the most frequent factor associated to AICI, 61.4 %.
Conclusions: in all groups, periodontal disease prevailed over the rest of the explored AICI risk factors, what may suggest an association between both diseases.