OBJECTIVETo determine the level of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), serum C-reactive protein (CRP) and inflammation cytokines and investigate the concentration between periodontal disease and coronary heart disease (CHD).

METHODSSixty-six patients with CHD and chronic periodontitis [(C+P) group], forty-four with only CHD (C group), fifty-six with only chronic periodontitis (C group), and forty-three healthy controls (H group) were included in this study. The diagnosis of chronic periodontitis and CHD was based on accepted clinical criteria. Serum levels of HDL-C, CRP, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and IL-1beta were tested in all patients and controls.

RESULTSThe periodontal conditions of these four groups were significantly different (P<0.05). The clinical periodontal parameters [probing depth (PD), attachment loss (AL), and bleeding on probing (BOP)] in patients with (C+P) group, P group, C group and H group were [(4.55+/-0.85) mm, (3.78+/-0.34) mm, 69.6%], [(4.06+/-0.61) mm, (3.05+/-0.44) mm, 63.6%], [(1.85+/-0.67) mm, (1.26+/-0.39) mm, 20.5%], [(1.12+/-0.33) mm, (0.42+/-0.83) mm, 4.6%], respectively. The levels of HDL-C in H group, C group, P group and (C+P) group were (1.42+/-0.21), (1.22+/-0.18), (1.24+/-0.21) and (1.04+/-0.22) mmol/L, respectively. T compare with other three groups, the level of HDL-C in (C+P) group is the lowest. The levels of CRP, IL-6, TNF-alpha and IL-1beta in (C+P) group were significantly higher than other groups (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSHDL-C, CRP, IL-6, TNF-alpha and IL-1beta may be associated with the pathogenesis of periodontitis and CHD. There may be a relationship between the two diseases.