Effect of periodontal inflammation on arteriosclerosis: evaluation by FDG-PET/CT

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K09564
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Cardiovascular medicine
• Research Institution: Kurume University
• Principal Investigator: Tahara Nobuhiro 久留米大学, 医学部, 准教授 (10320186)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 歯周病 / 動脈硬化 / 炎症 / FDG-PET/CT

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Periodontal inflammation evaluated by FDG-PET/CT was significantly associated with male　gender, abdominal obesity, hypertension, increased triglycerides, decreased HDL cholesterol, hyperglycemia, smoking, hypoadiponectinemia, and vascular inflammation. Treatment with insulin sensitizers elevated HDL cholesterol and adiponectinemia, and decreased periodontal inflammation and vascular inflammation. In patients with acute coronary syndrome, the number of lost teeth and the periodontal inflammation were significantly higher than those in patients with stable angina pectoris. In coronary plaques obtained from direct coronary atherectomy and thrombus aspiration, CD68-positive cell aggregation was observed in patients with stronger periodontal inflammation. In addition, detection of P. gingivalis DNA and Gingipain activity were observed.

Free Research Field

画像診断

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

歯周炎症は糖尿病、肺炎、低体重児出産、骨粗鬆症、動脈硬化を基盤とした脳血管疾患や冠動脈疾患などと関連することが示されてきたが、人における歯周炎症や血管炎症を非観血的に生体内で評価することは困難であった。FDG-PET/CTを用いることにより歯周炎症や動脈硬化の炎症病態を分子学的レベルで評価することができ、病態解明、治療標的の同定、治療方法の開発という形で社会に還元することができる可能性がある。また、ハイリスク病変の早期発見、病変リスクの層別化、経時的・非侵襲的な治療効果の評価、心血管イベントなどの予測もできるようになる可能性があり、心血管病の予防、ひいては医療費削減に繋がると考えられる。