Antibodies to periodontal organisms are associated with decreased kidney function - The dental atherosclerosis risk in communities study

Background/ Aims: Increasing evidence suggests that clinical signs of periodontal disease are independently associated with renal impairment. However, no studies have examined the possible linkage of kidney disease with serum antibody to oral pathogens. Methods: The periodontal disease status was assessed in an older community-dwelling population ( Dental Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities) to include: clinical measurements; oral biofilm microbial composition by DNA checkerboard, and serum antibody immunoglobulin-gamma ( IgG) titers to specific bacteria by immunocheckerboard. Baseline characteristics were used to compute estimated glomerular filtration rate defining eGFR < 60 ml/min/1.73 m(2) as impaired renal function in 103 of 5,032 subjects. Levels of serum IgG to specific oral bacteria were categorized by quartiles ( comparing upper vs. lower three) as high titer and GFR < 60 as the dependent variable in logistic regression models, adjusting for multiple comparisons ( Hotelling T-2) and traditional risk factors including age, race, smoking, diabetes, hypertension, body mass, waist-to-hip ratio, serum triglycerides, HDL, and LDL cholesterol. Results: High levels of serum IgG to selected periodontal pathogens including Porphyromonas gingivalis, Treponema denticola and Aggregobacter actinomycetemcomitans were associated with an increased odds for GFR < 60 ml/min/1.73 m(2), adjusted odds ratio ranging from 1.6 to 1.8 and p < 0.05. Conclusions: Elevated IgG to periodontal pathogens is significantly associated with impaired kidney function, independent of traditional risk factors. Prospective studies are necessary to confirm these findings. Copyright (c) 2007 S. Karger AG, Basel.