Antibodies to periodontal organisms are associated with decreased kidney function. The Dental Atherosclerosis Risk In Communities study.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Increasing evidence suggests that clinical signs of periodontal disease are independently associated with renal impairment. However, no studies have examined the possible linkage of kidney disease with serum antibody to oral pathogens.

METHODS: The periodontal disease status was assessed in an older community-dwelling population (Dental Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities) to include: clinical measurements; oral biofilm microbial composition by DNA checkerboard, and serum antibody immunoglobulin-gamma (IgG) titers to specific bacteria by immunocheckerboard. Baseline characteristics were used to compute estimated glomerular filtration rate defining eGFR

RESULTS: High levels of serum IgG to selected periodontal pathogens including Porphyromonas gingivalis, Treponema denticola and Aggregobacter actinomycetemcomitans were associated with an increased odds for GFR

CONCLUSIONS: Elevated IgG to periodontal pathogens is significantly associated with impaired kidney function, independent of traditional risk factors. Prospective studies are necessary to confirm these findings.