Level of serum antibody against a periodontal pathogen is associated with atherosclerosis and hypertension

Inflammation has a role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis, which causes hypertension. Results from some studies have suggested links between periodontal disease and atherosclerosis, but links between periodontal disease and hypertension have been seldom studied. We investigated whether periodontal disease and serum antibody level were associated with hypertension. We studied 127 patients (93 men and 34 women, mean age 68 +/- 9 years) who were admitted with ischemic heart disease to our institution. A composite periodontal risk score was calculated from five periodontal vector scores. The levels of serum antibody against Porphyromonas gingivalis (Pg) were measured. Pulse pressure, mean blood pressure (BP) and pulse wave velocity were used as indices of atherosclerosis. We divided patients into two groups according to the levels of serum antibody against Pg: higher or equal to the median (high Pg antibody group) and lower than the median (low Pg antibody group). There was no difference in the use of antihypertensive agents between the two groups. The composite periodontal risk score (P=0.0003), systolic BP (P=0.030), diastolic BP (P=0.038), pulse pressure (P=0.050) and mean BP (P=0.055) were higher in the high Pg antibody group than in the low Pg antibody group. The composite periodontal risk score (r=0.320, P=0.0003), systolic BP (r=0.212, P=0.017), diastolic BP (r=0.188, P=0.035) and mean BP (r=0.225, P=0.011) correlated with the level of serum antibody against Pg, even after adjustment for age. An elevated antibody level against Pg indicates advanced periodontal disease and suggests advancement of atherosclerosis and hypertension.