A prospective cohort study of periodontal disease measures and cardiovascular disease markers in HIV-infected adults

AIDS Res Hum Retroviruses. 2011 Nov;27(11):1157-66. doi: 10.1089/AID.2010.0320. Epub 2011 May 9.

Abstract

The determinants of HIV-associated cardiovascular disease (CVD) are not well understood. Periodontal disease (PD) has been linked to CVD but this connection has not been examined in HIV infection. We followed a cohort of HIV-infected adults to ascertain whether PD was associated with carotid artery intima media thickness (IMT) and brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (FMD). We performed a longitudinal observational study of HIV-infected adults on HAART for <2 years with no known heart disease. PD was characterized clinically and microbiologically. Cardiovascular disease was assessed by IMT/FMD. Linear mixed models assessed cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between PD and FMD/IMT. Forty three HIV(+) adults completed a median of 24 (6-44) months on the study. Defining delta to be the change in a variable between baseline and a follow-up time, longitudinally, on average and after adjusting for change in time, CVD-specific and HIV-specific potential confounding covariates, a 1-log(10) increase in delta Porphyromonas gingivalis was associated with a 0.013 mm increase in delta IMT (95% CI: 0.0006-0.0262; p=0.04). After adjusting for the same potential confounding covariates, a 10% increase in delta gingival recession was associated with a 2.3% increase in delta FMD (95% CI: 0.4-4.2; p=0.03). In a cohort of HIV-infected adults, an increase in subgingival Porphyromonas gingivalis, a known periodontal pathogen, was significantly associated with longitudinal increases in IMT, while increased gingival recession, which herein may represent PD resolution, was significantly associated with longitudinal improvement in FMD. In the context of HIV infection, PD may contribute to CVD risk. Intervention studies treating PD may help clarify this association.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Bacteroidaceae Infections / complications*
  • Bacteroidaceae Infections / microbiology
  • Bacteroidaceae Infections / pathology
  • Brachial Artery / diagnostic imaging
  • Brachial Artery / pathology
  • Cardiovascular Diseases / etiology*
  • Cardiovascular Diseases / pathology
  • Carotid Arteries / diagnostic imaging
  • Carotid Arteries / pathology
  • Cohort Studies
  • Female
  • HIV Infections / complications*
  • HIV Infections / virology
  • HIV-1
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Periodontal Diseases / complications*
  • Periodontal Diseases / microbiology
  • Periodontal Diseases / physiopathology*
  • Porphyromonas gingivalis
  • Prospective Studies
  • Tunica Intima / diagnostic imaging
  • Tunica Intima / pathology
  • Tunica Media / diagnostic imaging
  • Tunica Media / pathology
  • Ultrasonography