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

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 +/- 9.2 years) 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 >= 6 mm were considered as severe periodontitis, and with at least 30% of the sites with CAL >= 4 mm generalized chronic periodontitis. RESULTS: The mean (+/-s.d.) number and percentage of sites with CAL >= 6 mm 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 >= 4 mm 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. Oral Diseases (2011) 17, 560-563