Patients with
periodontal disease exhibit exacerbated
atherosclerosis, aortic stiffness, or vascular endothelial dysfunction. However, in a recent scientific statement, the American Heart Association noted that neither has
periodontal disease been proven to cause atherosclerotic
vascular disease nor has the treatment of
periodontal disease been proven to prevent atherosclerotic
vascular disease. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to examine the correlation between periodontal condition and
arteriosclerosis in patients with
coronary artery disease (CAD), which is usually accompanied by systemic
arteriosclerosis.We measured levels of gingival crevicular fluid
lactoferrin (GCF-Lf) and α1-antitrypsin (GCF-AT) in 72 patients (67 ± 8 years, 56 men) with CAD. Furthermore, we evaluated the maximum intima-media thickness (max IMT) and plaque score of the carotid arteries as well as brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) and flow-mediated dilation (FMD) of the brachial artery, each of which is a parameter for determining
arteriosclerosis status. The average level of GCF-Lf was 0.29 ± 0.36 µg/mL and that of GCF-AT was 0.31 ± 0.66 µg/mL, with significant correlation between the two (r = 0.701, P < 0.001). No significant difference in GCF-Lf and GCF-AT levels was observed between patients with single-, double-, and triple-vessel CAD. There were no significant correlations between the
arteriosclerosis parameters (ie, max IMT, plaque score, baPWV, and FMD) and GCF-Lf or GCF-AT.No correlation between the GCF
biomarkers and the severity of
arteriosclerosis was detected. This result may suggest that worsening of the periodontal condition assessed by GCF
biomarkers is not a major potential risk factor for
arteriosclerosis.