Oral <i>Porphyromonas gingivalis</i> and <i>Fusobacterium nucleatum</i> Abundance in Subjects in Primary and Secondary Cardiovascular Prevention, with or without Heterozygous Familial Hypercholesterolemia
Maria Cristina Curia,
Pamela Pignatelli,
Domenica Lucia D’Antonio,
Damiano D’Ardes,
Elena Olmastroni,
Luca Scorpiglione,
Francesco Cipollone,
Alberico Luigi Catapano,
Adriano Piattelli,
Marco Bucci,
Paolo Magni
Affiliations
Maria Cristina Curia
Department of Medical, Oral and Biotechnological Sciences, Università degli Studi “Gabriele d’Annunzio” di Chieti-Pescara, 66100 Chieti, Italy
Pamela Pignatelli
Department of Medical, Oral and Biotechnological Sciences, Università degli Studi “Gabriele d’Annunzio” di Chieti-Pescara, 66100 Chieti, Italy
Domenica Lucia D’Antonio
Department of Medical, Oral and Biotechnological Sciences, Università degli Studi “Gabriele d’Annunzio” di Chieti-Pescara, 66100 Chieti, Italy
Damiano D’Ardes
Regional Center for the Study of Atherosclerosis, Hypertension and Dyslipidemia, “SS Annunziata” Hospital—ASL, 66100 Chieti, Italy
Elena Olmastroni
Epidemiology and Preventive Pharmacology Service (SEFAP), Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20133 Milan, Italy
Luca Scorpiglione
Regional Center for the Study of Atherosclerosis, Hypertension and Dyslipidemia, “SS Annunziata” Hospital—ASL, 66100 Chieti, Italy
Francesco Cipollone
Regional Center for the Study of Atherosclerosis, Hypertension and Dyslipidemia, “SS Annunziata” Hospital—ASL, 66100 Chieti, Italy
Alberico Luigi Catapano
Epidemiology and Preventive Pharmacology Service (SEFAP), Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20133 Milan, Italy
Adriano Piattelli
Master Course in Microsurgery in Odontostomatology, Saint Camillus International University for Health Sciences (Unicamillus), 00131 Rome, Italy
Marco Bucci
Regional Center for the Study of Atherosclerosis, Hypertension and Dyslipidemia, “SS Annunziata” Hospital—ASL, 66100 Chieti, Italy
Paolo Magni
Epidemiology and Preventive Pharmacology Service (SEFAP), Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20133 Milan, Italy
Background: Low-grade chronic inflammation, promoted by dysbiosis of the gut and oral microbiota, has been shown to contribute to individual susceptibility to atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). High oral Porphyromonas gingivalis (Pg) and lower Fusobacterium nucleatum (Fn) concentrations have been associated with clinical and experimental atherosclerosis. We assessed oral Pg and Fn abundance in very high-risk patients with previously diagnosed ASCVD, with or without heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HeFH), in subjects with HeFH in primary prevention and in healthy subjects. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 40 patients with previously diagnosed ASCVD (10 with genetically proven HeFH, and 30 without FH), 26 subjects with HeFH in primary prevention, and 31 healthy subjects were selected to quantify oral Pg and Fn abundance by qPCR and assess oral health status. Results: Compared to healthy subjects, patients with previously diagnosed ASCVD showed greater Pg abundance (1101.3 vs. 192.4, p = 0.03), but similar Fn abundance. HeFH patients with ASCVD had an even greater Pg abundance than did non-HeFH patients and healthy subjects (1770.6 vs. 758.4 vs. 192.4, respectively; p = 0.048). No differences were found in the levels of Pg and Fn abundance in HeFH subjects in primary prevention, as compared to healthy subjects. Conclusions: Greater oral Pg abundance is present in very high-risk patients with previously diagnosed ASCVD, with or without FH, suggesting a potential relationship with CV events. Future studies will assess the predictive value of Pg abundance measurement in ASCVD risk stratification.
