Does periodontitis associate with stroke occurrence?

Abstract

Periodontitis increases the risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and ischemic stroke. In this study, we evaluated whether serum antibody levels against individual periodontal pathogens are significantly associated with ischemic stroke subtypes and their risk factors. Serum hs-CRP levels were significantly associated with acute ischemic stroke even after controlling for acute ischemic stroke, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and bulb/ICA atherosclerosis that were statistically selected. The serum-antibody level of Pi was significantly higher in atherothrombotic-stroke patients than in patients with no previous stroke. Detectable serum anti-Pg antibody was significantly associated with atrial fibrillation, and detectable serum anti-Pi antibody was significantly associated with bulb/internal carotid artery atherosclerosis after controlling for the statistically selected associated factors. The levels of serum anti-Pi antibody were significantly associated with atherothrombotic stroke with the statistically selected associated factors excluding bulb/ICA atherosclerosis. However, when we included bulb/ICA atherosclerosis into this model, the levels of serum anti-Pi antibody were no longer significantly associated with atherothrombotic stroke. Our results suggest that anti-Pg antibody is associated with atrial fibrillation and anti-Pi antibody is associated with carotid artery atherosclerosis. Additionally, anti-Pi antibody may be associated with atherothrombotic stroke through its association with carotid artery atherosclerosis. Thus, periodontitis may lead to serious systemic diseases.