Association of serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) levels against two periodontal pathogens and prothrombotic state: a clinical pilot study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Objective</p> <p>Periodontitis is associated with cardiovascular diseases (CVD). In our previous studies a prothrombotic state has been observed in periodontitis, which contributes to the risk of CVD. The aim of this study was to investigate whether serum IgG levels against <it>Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans (Aa) </it>and <it>Porphyromonas gingivalis (Pg) </it>in periodontitis were associated with a prothrombotic state.</p> <p>Materials and methods</p> <p>Patients with moderate (n = 38) and severe periodontitis (n = 30) and controls (n = 24) were recruited. We explored correlations between serum anti-<it>Aa </it>and anti-<it>Pg </it>IgG and plasma levels of markers of prothrombotic state (von Willebrand Factor [vWF], prothrombin fragment 1+2 [F1+2], plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 [PAI-1] and D-dimer). Multivariate analyses were performed considering several major potential contributing factors.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Periodontitis patients showed higher anti-<it>Aa </it>IgG (<it>p </it>= 0.015) than controls but not for <it>Pg </it>(<it>p </it>= 0.320). In periodontitis patients, body mass index and anti-<it>Aa </it>IgG showed a positive correlation with vWF (β = 0.297, <it>p </it>= 0.010 and β = 0.248, <it>p </it>= 0.033 respectively).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>In periodontitis, infection with <it>Aa </it>together with other well accepted risk factors for CVD, may play a role in increasing the risk for prothrombotic state.</p

Periodontal breakdown inter-tooth relationships in estimating periodontitis-related tooth loss

Item does not contain fulltextOBJECTIVES: The reasons for tooth extraction are rarely recorded in epidemiological datasets. It poses a diagnostic challenge to determine if tooth loss is related to periodontal disease (TLPD). The present study aimed to assess the inter-tooth relationships based on the periodontal characteristics of existing teeth. METHODS: A cross-sectional dataset of 8,978 participants with complete periodontal examination (including probing pocket depth [PPD] and clinical attachment loss [CAL]) in the NHANES 2009-2014 was used in this study. Spearman rank correlation was applied to assess the inter-tooth correlations of PPD/CAL among 28 teeth after adjustment for relevant confounders. We further verify our findings in the Java Project on Periodontal Disease with TLPD information available (the number of TLPD = 12). RESULTS: Strong PPD/CAL correlations were observed in adjacent teeth (r for PPD = 0.652, r for CAL = 0.597; false discovery rate [FDR] <0.05) rather than those on non-adjacent teeth (r for PPD = 0.515, r for CAL = 0.476; FDR <0.05). The correlations increased among severe periodontitis cases (CAL ≥5 mm or PPD ≥6 mm). In line with this, we further observed that the teeth adjacent to the TLPD tooth had the most alveolar bone loss in the Java dataset. CONCLUSION: The periodontitis parameters (PPD/CAL) of adjacent teeth could be a potential indicator to estimate TLPD when actual reasons for tooth extraction are unknown. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Periodontally compromised teeth adjacent to a lost tooth may help estimate whether the loss could be related to periodontal disease when the actual extraction reasons are unknown

EUREC⁴A

The science guiding the EUREC⁴A campaign and its measurements is presented. EUREC⁴A comprised roughly 5 weeks of measurements in the downstream winter trades of the North Atlantic – eastward and southeastward of Barbados. Through its ability to characterize processes operating across a wide range of scales, EUREC⁴A marked a turning point in our ability to observationally study factors influencing clouds in the trades, how they will respond to warming, and their link to other components of the earth system, such as upper-ocean processes or the life cycle of particulate matter. This characterization was made possible by thousands (2500) of sondes distributed to measure circulations on meso- (200 km) and larger (500 km) scales, roughly 400 h of flight time by four heavily instrumented research aircraft; four global-class research vessels; an advanced ground-based cloud observatory; scores of autonomous observing platforms operating in the upper ocean (nearly 10 000 profiles), lower atmosphere (continuous profiling), and along the air–sea interface; a network of water stable isotopologue measurements; targeted tasking of satellite remote sensing; and modeling with a new generation of weather and climate models. In addition to providing an outline of the novel measurements and their composition into a unified and coordinated campaign, the six distinct scientific facets that EUREC⁴A explored – from North Brazil Current rings to turbulence-induced clustering of cloud droplets and its influence on warm-rain formation – are presented along with an overview of EUREC⁴A's outreach activities, environmental impact, and guidelines for scientific practice. Track data for all platforms are standardized and accessible at https://doi.org/10.25326/165 (Stevens, 2021), and a film documenting the campaign is provided as a video supplement

EUREC⁴A

The science guiding the EUREC⁴A campaign and its measurements is presented. EUREC⁴A comprised roughly 5 weeks of measurements in the downstream winter trades of the North Atlantic – eastward and southeastward of Barbados. Through its ability to characterize processes operating across a wide range of scales, EUREC⁴A marked a turning point in our ability to observationally study factors influencing clouds in the trades, how they will respond to warming, and their link to other components of the earth system, such as upper-ocean processes or the life cycle of particulate matter. This characterization was made possible by thousands (2500) of sondes distributed to measure circulations on meso- (200 km) and larger (500 km) scales, roughly 400 h of flight time by four heavily instrumented research aircraft; four global-class research vessels; an advanced ground-based cloud observatory; scores of autonomous observing platforms operating in the upper ocean (nearly 10 000 profiles), lower atmosphere (continuous profiling), and along the air–sea interface; a network of water stable isotopologue measurements; targeted tasking of satellite remote sensing; and modeling with a new generation of weather and climate models. In addition to providing an outline of the novel measurements and their composition into a unified and coordinated campaign, the six distinct scientific facets that EUREC⁴A explored – from North Brazil Current rings to turbulence-induced clustering of cloud droplets and its influence on warm-rain formation – are presented along with an overview of EUREC⁴A's outreach activities, environmental impact, and guidelines for scientific practice. Track data for all platforms are standardized and accessible at https://doi.org/10.25326/165 (Stevens, 2021), and a film documenting the campaign is provided as a video supplement

COBERTURA DE LA LENGUA Y CUENTAS BACTERIANAS SALIVARES EN SUJETOS SANOS Y CON GINGIVITIS Y EN PACIENTES CON PERIODONTITIS

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the discoloration and coating of the tongue in healthy/gingivitis subjects and periodontitis patients. Furthermore, to determine the relationship between the appearance of the tongue and the bacterial load in salivary samples.Material and Methods: Two groups of patients were studied, 70 healthy/gingivitis subjects and 56 periodontitis patients. After scoring of the tongue a salivary sample of each patient was taken and analyzed using a phase-contrast microscope.Results: This investigation showed that most discoloration was found on the distal part of the tongue. The mean number of bacteria per ml sample in relation to a pink, white and yellow appearance of the tongue was 948, 855 and 900 (x106) respectively. The mean number of bacteria per ml sample in relation to no, thin, and thick coating was 948, 863 and 895 (x106) respectively. Analysis did not reveal a relationship between discoloration, coating thickness and total bacterial load. The mean number of bacteria per ml in healthy/gingivitis subjects was 860 and in periodontitis patients 918 (x106).Conclusion: No relationship between the appearance of the tongue and salivary bacterial load could be detected. There was no difference in bacterial load between the healthy/gingivitis and the periodontitis group within the present study population.Objetivo: Investigar la coloración y la cobertura de la lengua en sujetos sanos y con gingivitis y en pacientes con periodontitis y determinar la relación entre la apariencia de la lengua y la carga bacteriana en muestras de saliva.Materiales y Métodos: Se estudiaron dos grupos de pacientes, 70 sujetos sanos y con gingivitis y 56 pacientes con periodontitis. Después de clasificar la lengua se tomó una muestra de saliva de cada paciente; ésta fue analizada usando un microscopio de contraste de fase.Resaltados: Los resultados mostraron que la mayoría de la coloración se encontró en la parte distal de lengua. El número promedio de bacterias por ml de muestra, en relación con una apariencia rosada, blanca y amarilla de la lengua, fue de 948, 855 y 900 (x 106) respectivamente. El número promedio de bacterias por ml de muestra en relación con no-cobertura, a una cobertura delgada y a una gruesa, fue de 948, 863 y 895 (x 106) respectivamente. No se encontró relación entre la coloración, grosor de cobertura y carga bacteriana total. El número promedio de bacterias por ml de muestra en sujetos sanos y con gingivitis fue de 860 y en pacientes con periodontitis, de 918 (x 106).Conclusiones: No se encontró relación entre la apariencia de la lengua y la carga bacteriana salivar. No hubo diferencia en carga bacteriana entre los grupos sanos y con gingivitis y el grupo con periodontitis en la población de estudio.[Mantilla S. Danser MM, Sipos P, Rowshani B, Van der Velden U, Van der Weijden F. Cobertura de la lengua y cuentas bacterianas salivares en sujetos sanos y con gingivitis y en pacientes con periodontitis. Ustasalud 2002; 1: 7 - 17

COBERTURA DE LA LENGUA Y CUENTAS BACTERIANAS SALIVARES EN SUJETOS SANOS Y CON GINGIVITIS Y EN PACIENTES CON PERIODONTITIS

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the discoloration and coating of the tongue in healthy/gingivitis subjects and periodontitis patients. Furthermore, to determine the relationship between the appearance of the tongue and the bacterial load in salivary samples.Material and Methods: Two groups of patients were studied, 70 healthy/gingivitis subjects and 56 periodontitis patients. After scoring of the tongue a salivary sample of each patient was taken and analyzed using a phase-contrast microscope.Results: This investigation showed that most discoloration was found on the distal part of the tongue. The mean number of bacteria per ml sample in relation to a pink, white and yellow appearance of the tongue was 948, 855 and 900 (x106) respectively. The mean number of bacteria per ml sample in relation to no, thin, and thick coating was 948, 863 and 895 (x106) respectively. Analysis did not reveal a relationship between discoloration, coating thickness and total bacterial load. The mean number of bacteria per ml in healthy/gingivitis subjects was 860 and in periodontitis patients 918 (x106).Conclusion: No relationship between the appearance of the tongue and salivary bacterial load could be detected. There was no difference in bacterial load between the healthy/gingivitis and the periodontitis group within the present study population.Objetivo: Investigar la coloración y la cobertura de la lengua en sujetos sanos y con gingivitis y en pacientes con periodontitis y determinar la relación entre la apariencia de la lengua y la carga bacteriana en muestras de saliva.Materiales y Métodos: Se estudiaron dos grupos de pacientes, 70 sujetos sanos y con gingivitis y 56 pacientes con periodontitis. Después de clasificar la lengua se tomó una muestra de saliva de cada paciente; ésta fue analizada usando un microscopio de contraste de fase.Resaltados: Los resultados mostraron que la mayoría de la coloración se encontró en la parte distal de lengua. El número promedio de bacterias por ml de muestra, en relación con una apariencia rosada, blanca y amarilla de la lengua, fue de 948, 855 y 900 (x 106) respectivamente. El número promedio de bacterias por ml de muestra en relación con no-cobertura, a una cobertura delgada y a una gruesa, fue de 948, 863 y 895 (x 106) respectivamente. No se encontró relación entre la coloración, grosor de cobertura y carga bacteriana total. El número promedio de bacterias por ml de muestra en sujetos sanos y con gingivitis fue de 860 y en pacientes con periodontitis, de 918 (x 106).Conclusiones: No se encontró relación entre la apariencia de la lengua y la carga bacteriana salivar. No hubo diferencia en carga bacteriana entre los grupos sanos y con gingivitis y el grupo con periodontitis en la población de estudio.[Mantilla S. Danser MM, Sipos P, Rowshani B, Van der Velden U, Van der Weijden F. Cobertura de la lengua y cuentas bacterianas salivares en sujetos sanos y con gingivitis y en pacientes con periodontitis. Ustasalud 2002; 1: 7 - 17

Java project on periodontal diseases: periodontal bone loss in relation to environmental and systemic conditions

Objective : To assess in a population deprived from regular dental care the relationship between alveolar bone loss (ABL) and environmental/systemic conditions. Material & Methods : The study population consisted of subjects from the Purbasari tea estate on West Java, Indonesia. A full set of dental radiographs was obtained of each subject and amount of ABL was assessed. In addition, the following parameters were evaluated: plasma vitamin C, vitamin D-3, HbA1c and CRP, the haptoglobin phenotype, presence of putative periodontopathic bacteria and viruses, dietary habits, smoking and anthropometrics. Results : In this population 45% showed vitamin C depletion/deficiency, 82% had vitamin D-3 insufficiency/deficiency, 70% were in a pre-diabetic state, 6% had untreated diabetes, 21% had elevated CRP values ranging from 3.1 to 16.1mg/l. Results of the regression analysis, including all above mentioned parameters, showed four significant predictors, explaining 19.8% of the variance of ABL. Number of Porphyromonas gingivalis cells and CRP values showed a positive relationship with ABL, whereas BMI and number of guava fruit servings were negatively related. Conclusion : Results confirm previous findings that elevated levels of P.gingivalis may be indicative for periodontitis progression. A new finding is that guava fruit consumption may play a protective role in periodontitis in a malnourished population

Soluble CD14 in periodontitis

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) binds to soluble (s)CD14. We investigated which factors contribute to variations in sCD14 levels in periodontitis, a chronic infectious disease of tooth-supporting tissues associated with endotoxemia and leading to inflammation and subsequently loss of teeth. The sCD14 levels were determined by ELISA in healthy controls (n = 57) and untreated patients (59 moderate and 46 severe) and their relation with markers of systemic inflammation (C-reactive protein levels, and leukocyte, neutrophil and lymphocyte counts) was assessed. Anti-Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans and anti-Porphyromonas gingivalis IgG levels were established by ELISA and CD14-260 genotype was determined in a TaqMan allelic discrimination assay. Increased levels of sCD14 were more frequent among periodontitis patients (P = 0.026) and showed a severity-dependence with increasing levels of periodontal breakdown (P = 0.008). In patients, levels of sCD14 correlated positively with CRP (P = 0.043), leukocyte numbers (P = 0.011) and negatively with anti-A. actinomycetemcomitans IgG (P = 0.007). In a multivariate analysis, sCD14 levels were predicted by ethnicity, age, educational level, and in Caucasian subjects also by the severity of periodontal destruction, but not by anti-P. gingivalis IgG or the CD14-260 genotype. Periodontitis is associated with elevated levels of sCD14

Periodontitis is associated with platelet activation

There is an epidemiological association between periodontitis and cardiovascular disease (CVD). In periodontitis, low grade systemic inflammation and bacteremia occur regularly. Such events may contribute to platelet activation and subsequent pro-coagulant state. This study aimed to investigate platelet activation in periodontitis patients. The study is composed of two parts. In the first part, plasma levels of soluble(s) P-selectin and sCD40 ligand were measured as general markers of platelet activation in periodontitis patients (n=85) and in healthy controls (n=35). In the second part, surface-exposed P-selectin and the ligand-binding conformation of the glycoprotein IIb-IIIa complex (binding of PAC-1 antibody) were determined on individual platelets in whole blood of periodontitis patients (n=18) and controls (n=16). Patients had significantly elevated plasma levels of sP-selectin (P <0.001) and increased binding of PAC-1 on isolated platelets (P=0.033). Platelet activation was more pronounced in the patients with more severe periodontal disease, showing a severity-dependence. The levels of sCD40 ligand and of platelet-bound P-selectin were not increased. Periodontitis is associated with increased platelet activation. Since platelet activation contributes to a pro-coagulant state and constitutes a risk for atherothrombosis, platelet activation in periodontitis may partly explain the epidemiological association between periodontitis and CVD. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserve