C-reactive Protein Levels in Generalized Aggressive Periodontitis Patients

Background: There is mounting evidence to indicate that periodontitis may be a risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Periodontitis may be linked to CVD as either an etiologic mechanism or a predisposing factor that can hasten disease progression. Proinflammatory cytokines, elevated fibrinogen, and platelet aggregation are all potential mechanisms. The purpose of this study is to compare and review the serological differences in subjects with severe periodontitis, some of which involve established risk factors for atherosclerosis, particularly heightened C-reactive protein levels. Methods: A total of 184 subjects, comprising of two periodontal subgroups, non-periodontal (NP = 91) and generalized aggressive periodontitis (SP = 93), had serum evaluated for C-reactive protein (CRP) levels using a high sensitive ELISA test. The CRP levels were compared against clinical and demographical data to include race, age, gender, number of teeth, probing depth, attachment level, bleeding index, plaque index, and gingival index. Results: After adjusting for potential confounding variables, probing depth (p Conclusion: Pocket depth is significantly related to elevated levels of CRP, which is why it is imperative to treat periodontal pockets. This study may provide a possible link between CRP and periodontal disease, but a causal relationship cannot be inferred