Is Periodontal Disease Associated with Alzheimer's Disease? A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis.
Level 3 - non-randomized controlled study
Systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies (cohort, case-control, and cross-sectional)
PubMed 28219071 · doi:10.1159/000458411
What was done
Authors conducted a PRISMA-compliant systematic review and meta-analysis (PROSPERO CRD42016035377) searching MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, and hand searches through January 2016. Observational studies evaluating patients meeting criteria for both periodontal disease (PD) and Alzheimer's disease (AD) were assessed for quality via the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Meta-analysis was performed using a fixed-effects model.
What was found
Five studies met inclusion criteria (2 cross-sectional, 2 case-control, and 1 cohort study). The presence of PD was significantly associated with AD (OR 1.69, 95% CI 1.21-2.35). For severe PD, the association was also significant (OR 2.98, 95% CI 1.58-5.62).
Why it matters
This review aggregates observational data demonstrating a statistical link between periodontitis and Alzheimer's disease, highlighting a potential area for investigating inflammatory contributions to neurodegeneration.
Limits
The analysis is based on only 5 studies, mostly cross-sectional and case-control in design, which prevents determining the temporal direction of the relationship. Total participant count was not reported in the abstract, and confounding factors were not fully elucidated.
Cited by
- supports Periodontal disease is linked to an increased risk for metabolic problems, coronary artery disease, and Alzheimer's disease.