Correlation of Sarcopenia and Periodontitis in Patients on Chronic Hemodialysis

Abstract

Aim: Hemodialysis patients present with signs of chronic systemic inflammation. Periodontitis can also trigger systemic inflammation and thus affect sarcopenia. The aim of the study was to examine the presence of sarcopenia and periodontitis in patients on chronic hemodialysis and see whether there is a correlation between them. Methods: The study included 53 patients on hemodialysis. Oral status and routine laboratory parameters, as well as body composition and handgrip strength, were measured. Results: 20.8% of patients had sarcopenia, while 69% had stage 4. periodontitis. No statistically significant correlation was found between sarcopenia and periodontitis, but fat mass (FM%) correlated positively with tooth loss (rho = 0.313, p = 0.027), as well as muscle fat (IMAT) (rho = 0.393, p = 0.005). Percentage of skeletal muscle in relation to body weight (wSMI) correlated negatively with tooth loss (rho = -0.393, p = 0.005), as well as the grip strength of the dominant hand (rho = -0.294, p = 0.043). Conclusion: In this pilot study, the correlation between sarcopenia and periodontitis in patients on HD ‘was not determined, but a significant correlation of body composition parameters with tooth loss was found, which should be tested in a larger cohort of patients.

Keywords

• Periodontitis
• Sarcopenia
• Hemodialysis