This research was originally published in 2009 by Elerson Gaetti-Jardim, Jr, Silvia L. Marcelino, Alfredo C. R. Feitosa, Giuseppe A. Romito and Mario J. Avila-Campos.

We have curated this article as a reference point for The Larkin Protocol.

ABSTRACT

Oral pathogens, including periodontopathic bacteria, are thought to be aetiological factors in the development of cardiovascular disease. In this study, the presence of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, Fusobacterium nucleatum–periodonticum–simiae group, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Prevotella intermedia, Prevotella nigrescens and Tannerella forsythia in atheromatous plaques from coronary arteries was determined by real-time PCR. Forty-four patients displaying cardiovascular disease were submitted to periodontal examination and endarterectomy of coronary arteries. Approximately 60–100 mg atherosclerotic tissue was removed surgically and DNA was obtained. Quantitative detection of periodontopathic bacteria was...

This research was originally published in 2012 by Moïse Desvarieux, MD, PhD; Ryan T. Demmer, MPH; Tatjana Rundek, MD, PhD; Bernadette Boden-Albala, DrPH; David R. Jacobs, Jr, PhD; Ralph L. Sacco, MD, MS; and Panos N. Papapanou, DDS, PhD.

We have curated this article as a reference point for The Larkin Protocol.

ABSTRACT

Background—Chronic infections, including periodontal infections, may predispose to cardiovascular disease. We investigated the relationship between periodontal microbiota and subclinical atherosclerosis.

Methods and Results—Of 1056 persons (age 699 years) with no history of stroke or myocardial infarction enrolled in the Oral Infections and Vascular Disease Epidemiology Study (INVEST), we analyzed 657 dentate subjects. Among these subjects, 4561 subgingival plaque samples were collected (average of 7 samples/subject) and quantitatively assessed for 11 known periodontal bacteria by DNA-DNA checkerboard hybridization. Extensive in-person...

This research was originally published in 2016 by Bradley Field Bale, Amy Lynn Doneen and David John Vigerust.

We have curated this article as a reference point for The Larkin Protocol.

ABSTRACT

Background—The relationship between periodontitis (PD) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) is debated. PD is common in patients with CVD. It has been postulated that PD could be causally related to the risk for CVD, a hypothesis tested in PAROKRANK.

Methods and Results—805 patients (age < 75 years) with a first MI and 805 age (mean 62±8) gender (male 81%) and area matched controls without MI underwent standardized dental examination including panoramic x-ray. The periodontal status was defined as healthy (80% remaining bone) or as mild-moderate (79-66%) or severe PD (<66%). Great efforts were made to collect information on possibly related confounders (§100 variables). Statistical comparisons included Student’s pair-wise t-test and Mc Nemar´s test...

This research was originally published in 2004 by Pirkko J. Pussinen, Georg Alfthan, Harri Rissanen, Antti Reunanen, Sirkka Asikainen and Paul Knekt.

We have curated this article as a reference point for The Larkin Protocol.

Background and Purpose

The association between cerebrovascular events and periodontitis has been found in few studies based on clinical periodontal examinations. However, evidence on the association between periodontal pathogens and stroke is lacking. Therefore, the aim of the study was to investigate whether elevated levels of serum antibodies to major periodontal pathogens predict stroke in a case–control study.

Methods

The study population comprised 6950 subjects (aged 45 to 64 years) who participated in the Mobile Clinic Health Survey in 1973 to 1976 in Finland. During a follow-up of 13 years, a total of 173 subjects had a stroke. From these, 64 subjects had already experienced a stroke or had signs of coronary heart disease (CHD) at baseline,...

This research was originally published in 2008 by Heidi Mochari, MPH, RD,John T. Grbic, DMD, M Med Sc and Lori Mosca, MD, MPH, PhD.

We have curated this article as a reference point for The Larkin Protocol.

ABSTRACT

Periodontal disease has been associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and inflammation may represent a common pathophysiology. Oral health screening in the context of CVD risk assessment represents a potential opportunity to identify persons at risk for CVD. The purpose of this study was to determine if self-reported oral health status is independently associated with inflammatory markers and if oral health assessment as part of CVD risk screening can identify at-risk persons without traditional CVD risk factors. A baseline analysis was conducted among participants in the NHLBI Family Intervention Trial for Heart Health (F.I.T. Heart) (n=421; mean age 48±13.5y; 36% nonwhite) without CVD or diabetes who underwent standardized assessment of oral health,...

This research was originally published in 2014 .

We have curated this article as a reference point for The Larkin Protocol.

Executive Summary

Chronic medical conditions are a widespread issue, affecting an estimated one out of every two adults over 21. And, periodontitis, also known as gum disease, is an epidemic of its own with 47% of Americans having the disease at any one time.

To understand if there’s a connection between the two, United Concordia pursued original research conducted by Dr. Marjorie Jeffcoat, Professor of Periodontology and Dean Emeritus at the University of Pennsylvania School Of Dentistry. The study, published in a peer-reviewed medical journal, was conducted on a comprehensive, five-year data set in collaboration with our parent company, Highmark Health, Inc. and evaluated the impact of gum disease treatment on medical costs and hospitalizations for members with certain chronic medical conditions and women who were pregnant. Using medical claims data...

This research was originally published in 2008 by Thomas Dietrich, DMD, MD, MPH; Monik Jimenez, SM; Elizabeth A. Krall Kaye, MPH, PhD; Pantel S. Vokonas, MD And Raul I. Garcia, DMD, MMSc.

We have curated this article as a reference point for The Larkin Protocol.

Background

Several epidemiological studies have suggested periodontitis as a risk factor for coronary heart disease (CHD), but results have been inconsistent.

Methods and Result

We evaluated the association between clinical and radiographic measures of periodontitis, edentulism, and incident CHD (angina, myocardial infarction, or fatal CHD) among 1203 men in the VA Normative Aging and Dental Longitudinal Studies who were followed up with triennial comprehensive medical and dental examinations up to 35 years (median 24 years). Cox proportional hazards models with time-varying effects of exposure and potential confounders were fit. We found a significant dose-dependent association between periodontitis and CHD incidence among...

This research was originally published in 2013 by Moïse Desvarieux, MD, PhD; Ryan T. Demmer, PhD, MPH; David R. Jacobs, Jr, PhD; Panos N. Papapanou, DDS, PhD; Ralph L. Sacco, MD, MS and Tatjana Rundek, MD, PhD.

We have curated this article as a reference point for The Larkin Protocol.

Background

No prospective studies exist on the relationship between change in periodontal clinical and microbiological status and progression of carotid atherosclerosis.

Methods and Results

The Oral Infections and Vascular Disease Epidemiology Study examined 420 participants at baseline (688 years old) and follow-up. Over a 3-year median follow-up time, clinical probing depth (PD) measurements were made at 75 766 periodontal sites, and 5008 subgingival samples were collected from dentate participants (average of 7 samples/subject per visit over 2 visits) and quantitatively assessed for 11 known periodontal bacterial species by DNA-DNA checkerboard hybridization. Common carotid artery...

This research was originally published in 2013 by Anelia Dietmann, Alban Millonig, Valery Combes, Pierre-Olivier Couraud , Scott C. Kachlany and Georges E. Grau.

We have curated this article as a reference point for The Larkin Protocol.

ABSTRACT

Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans is a human pathogen that produces leukotoxin (LtxA) as a major virulence factor. In this study the effect of LtxA on microvascular endothelial cell viability and phenotype was studied. High doses of single LtxA treatment (500 ng/ml to 5 mg/ml) significantly and irreversibly decreased cell proliferation and induced apoptosis, as assessed by tetrazolium salt and annexin V assay, respectively. Apoptosis was partially inhibited by the pan-caspase inhibitor, z-VAD-fmk. LtxA caused a cell cycle arrest in the G2/M phase after 72 h. Between 500 ng/ml and 5 mg/ml, after long- or short-term stimulation LtxA increased the expression of ICAM-1 and VCAM-1, as well as the percentages of endothelial cells...

Periodontal disease (PD) is generated by microorganisms. These microbes can enter the general circulation causing a bacteraemia. The result can be adverse systemic effects, which could promote conditions such as cardiovascular disease. Level A evidence supports that PD is independently associated with arterial disease. PD is a common chronic condition affecting the majority of Americans 30 years of age and older. Atherosclerosis remains the largest cause of death and disability. Studies indicate that the adverse cardiovascular effects from PD are due to a few putative or high-risk bacteria: Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Tannerella forsythia, Treponema denticola or Fusobacterium nucleatum. There are three accepted essential...