An epidemiological study to examine the effect of periodontal diseases on liver function

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26670316
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Epidemiology and preventive medicine
• Research Institution: Juntendo University
• Principal Investigator: Tanigawa Takeshi 順天堂大学, 医学(系)研究科(研究院), 教授 (80227214)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): SAITO Isao 愛媛大学, 大学院医学系研究科, 教授 (90253781) ; MARUYAMA Koutatsu 順天堂大学, 大学院医学研究科, 助教 (20627096) ; FURUKAWA Shinya 愛媛大学, 大学院医学系研究科, 准教授 (60444733) ; EGUCHI Eri 岡山大学, 大学院医歯薬学総合研究科, 助教 (60635118)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 歯周病 / 肝機能 / 観察型疫学研究 / 介入研究

Outline of Final Research Achievements

According to previous findings, we presumed that periodontal disease may cause liver dysfunction through the increase of proinflammatory cytokine. Therefore, we conducted an epidemiological study to find a causal-relationship between periodontal disease and liver function. Our cross-sectional study of general men and women aged 30-79 years showed that lactoferrin levels in gingival crevice fluid was positively associated with serum levels of ALT, AST and ALP (p<0.05). We also conducted a clinical trial to examine a treatment effect of periodontal disease on liver function and found that the treatment have significantly improved serum levels of ALT and gamma-GTP among men (but not women) without drinking habit. Thus, our findings suggested a possible causal-relationship between periodontal disease and liver function.

Free Research Field

疫学・予防医学