Poorly controlled diabetes is associated with a greater prevalence of severe periodontitis
Summary
Subjects
A nationally representative sample of 4343 subjects— 2188 male and 2155 female, 45 to 90 years of age, who were participants in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Study III (NHANES III) conducted between 1988 and 1994—was selected by using a complex stratified, multistage cluster sampling design. Of these subjects, 430 were diabetic (260 better controlled and 170 poorly controlled) and 3841 were not diabetic. The differences in the total number is due to missing data.
Exposure
Poorly controlled diabetes was defined as a glycosylated hemoglobin of >9%, and better controlled diabetic subjects were individuals with a glycosylated hemoglobin level of ≤9%. The diagnosis of the absence of diabetes in a person was based on a fasting plasma glucose of <126 mg/dL.
Main Outcome Measure
The severity of periodontitis, as defined by 2+ sites with 6+ mm loss of attachment and at least 1 site with probing pocket depth of 5+ mm.
Main Results
Severe periodontitis was more prevalent in poorly controlled diabetics than in those subjects without diabetes (odds ratio = 2.90; 95% CI: 1.40, 6.03), after controlling for age, education, smoking status, and calculus. Better controlled diabetic (glycosylated hemoglobin ≤9%) also had a tendency for a higher prevalence of severe periodontis (odds ratio= 1.56; 95% CI: 0.90, 2.68).
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State University of New York at Stony Brook School of Dental Medicine, USA
ABSTRACT