Association between hearing loss and cognitive decline in the elderly: A systematic review with meta-analysis study.

OBJECTIVE: Hearing loss has been pointed out as a potential predictor for cognitive decline. This study conducted a systematic review to evaluate the scientific evidence on the association between hearing loss in the elderly and cognitive decline, as well as whether race/color influences this relationship. METHOD: The search for studies was performed in the following electronic databases: MedLine/PubMed Web of Science, Scopus and Virtual Health Library, and MedRkiv up to August 2022. Studies with epidemiological designs that assess the association between hearing loss and cognitive decline in the elderly were eligible for inclusion. Three independent reviewers performed the selection, data extraction and evaluation of the quality of the studies using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. A meta-analysis using a random effects model estimated the global association measurements (Beta coefficient: ß) and their 95% confidence intervals (95%CI), and the Higgins and Thompson indicator (I2) was also estimated to assess statistical heterogeneity among the studies. RESULTS: 5,207 records were identified in the database surveys, of which only 18 were eligible studies, totaling 19,551 individuals. Hearing loss was associated with cognitive decline in the elderly, with statistical significance: ß = -0.13; 95%CI = -0.23 to -0.04; I2 = 98.70%). For black individuals, the magnitude of the association increased: ß = -0.64; 95%CI = -3.36 to 2.07; I2 = 95.65%, but it was not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: The findings of this systematic review showed the existence of a significant relationship between hearing loss and cognitive decline in the elderly, as well as signaling that among black individuals the magnitude of the association can be increased.

Obesity in young women is positively associated with periodontitis.

OBJECTIVE: This cross-sectional study was performed to investigate the association between excess body weight and periodontitis in adults, stratified by sex and age, and using different criteria for obesity. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Enrolled in the study were 345 individuals with a minimum age of 18 years who had attended the Public Health Service in the city of Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. All individuals underwent a complete periodontal examination and anthropometric measurements and answered a questionnaire regarding their socioeconomic, demographic, health, and lifestyle conditions. Excess body weight (exposure factor) was defined using body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC). Prevalence ratios (PRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) were obtained by Poisson regression analysis with robust variance. RESULTS: Periodontitis was found in 74.2% of study participants, with the disease being more prevalent among those individuals with increased WC. The occurrence of overweight was 44.4% and that of obesity ranged from 29.9 to 70.8%, dependent upon the specific definition of obesity that was used. There was a positive association between obesity (WC > 88 cm) and periodontitis only among women, after adjustment for age, smoking habit, education level, diabetes, and family income (PRadjusted: 1.20; 95%CI: [1.01-1.44]). The magnitude of this positive association was higher among women aged 18 to 49 years when the outcome was severe periodontitis, and the exposure was obesity defined by WC. CONCLUSIONS: The findings draw attention to the high frequency of the diseases investigated: overweight, obesity and periodontitis. Moreover, obesity was positively associated with periodontitis in women and younger individuals, demonstrating that among those with obesity, there is a higher probability of having periodontitis. The smaller number study of men in the may have influenced the non-statistically significant association found in that group. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Obese females and younger people are more likely to also have periodontitis. Periodontal evaluation and clinical management of individuals with obesity is recommended.

Mothers' high glycemic levels and the association between periodontitis and low birth weight.

BACKGROUND: Maternal hyperglycemia, periodontitis, and adverse gestational outcomes are important health problems. The present study investigated the hypothesis that periodontitis and the glycemic level of mothers may have opposing influences on birth weight (BW). This study evaluated the effect of high glycemic levels, albeit within the normal range, on the association between periodontitis and low birth weight (LBW). METHODS: A total of 732 women took part in this case-control study; 172 were mothers of children with LBW <2,500 g, and 560 were mothers of children with BW ≥2,500 g. The BW of newborns was obtained from medical records, and information on socioeconomic-demographic, lifestyle behavior were obtained through interviews. Glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels were evaluated, and full-mouth periodontal examination was carried out within 7 days postpartum. Hierarchical and logistic regression analysis evaluated the effect of glycemic levels on the association between periodontitis and LBW by subgroups, estimating odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). RESULTS: In the group with HbA1c levels <5.6%, a statistically significant relationship existed between periodontitis and LBW. Using the Centre for Disease Control/American Academy of Periodontics criteria, the ORadjusted was 1.55; 95% CI: 1.04 to 2.31; using the Gomes-Filho et al. criteria the ORadjusted was 1.91; 95% CI, 1.06 to 3.45. In the group with higher HbA1c levels but still within the normal range (≥5.6% and <6.5%), the findings showed no association between periodontitis and LBW. CONCLUSION: Higher maternal glycemic levels within the normal range, inferior to those indicative of gestational diabetes, diabetes mellitus, or hyperglycemia, and periodontitis have opposing effects on BW, altering the association magnitude.

Validation of a search strategy for randomized clinical trials related to periodontitis.

BACKGROUND: Systematic reviews, considered the gold standard for the assessment of scientific evidence, may present conflicting findings for the same clinical issue, and such dissent may be justified by the forms of elaboration of the electronic search strategy. This paper aims to validate a search strategy to identify randomized clinical trials related to periodontitis. A gold standard reference set was developed to validate the identified clinical trials using the relative recall method. The choice of periodontitis is due to the fact that this disease has a high prevalence among chronic non-communicable diseases, is considered the second most common oral disease in the world, is associated with several health problems, such as cardiovascular diseases and diabetes, and, principally, has not been investigated sufficiently to prevent possible damages resulting from it. METHODS: A validation study was developed in MEDLINE/PubMed. In Stage 1, a methodological filter recommended by the Cochrane Collaboration to identify randomized clinical trials was applied. Stage 2 identified articles related only to periodontitis (gold standard reference set) from among the articles retrieved using the eligibility criteria. In Stage 3, a search statement for the retrieval of periodontitis-related articles was elaborated by experts. Stage 4 defined the proposed search strategy comprising of the combination of the search statement developed with the aforementioned methodological filter and subsequent application in MEDLINE/PubMed. The obtained data were analyzed using the set of articles identified in Stage 2, as the gold standard reference set. The following performance values were calculated - sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and number needed to read - with their respective 95% confidence interval (95%CI). RESULTS: The search strategy under evaluation compared to the gold-standard showed a sensitivity of 93.2% (95%CI, 83.8-97.3), specificity of 99.9% (95%CI 99.8-99.9), and a precision of 77.5% (95%CI, 66.48-85.63). In addition, the number needed to read was 1.3. CONCLUSION: According to the proposed methodological approach, the search strategy under evaluation performed well in the identification of randomized clinical trials related to periodontitis.

Colostrum oropharyngeal immunotherapy for very low birth weight preterm infants: protocol of an intervention study.

BACKGROUND: The oropharyngeal colostrum administration protocol to treat premature newborns is a possible and plausible strategy in neonatal health services, since the immunoprotective components of colostrum can be absorbed by the lymphoid tissues of the oropharynx. In this context, this study aims to describe the implementation of oropharyngeal colostrum immunotherapy in very low birth weight preterm newborns in a neonatal unit, as well as to test an algorithm in a public hospital. METHODS: The protocol is applied in a non-randomized, superiority clinical trial with historical control. In the treatment group, 0.2 mL of raw colostrum is dripped into the right and left oropharyngeal mucosa, totaling 8 administrations every 24 h until the 7th complete day of life interruptedly. The control group consists of very low birth weight preterm newborns born in the same hospital in previous years (historical control). The clinical progression of 60 newborns until hospital discharge is recorded on standardized forms. A total of 350 participants are estimated to complete the survey in 4 years. The occurrence of continuous outcomes between the groups are compared through the paired t-test or Wilcoxon's two-sample test. The chi-square test or Fisher's exact test, and survival analysis are used for binary outcomes. The nutritional status is assessed through Intergrowth-21st growth curves for preterm newborns. DISCUSSION: The flows of the protocol's actions is sorted by an algorithm, compatible with the Brazilian reality of a public hospital. This measure facilitates and systematizes clinical care, organizes the team's work process, speeds up the intervention steps, standardizes decision-making and unifies the quality of care, besides showing the feasibility of oropharyngeal colostrum immunotherapy. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ReBEC, U1111-1222-0598 , Registered 09 October 2018, http://www.ensaiosclinicos.gov.br/rg/RBR-2cyp7c/ .

Association between periodontitis and severe asthma in adults: A case-control study.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association between periodontitis and severe asthma, with participants in treatment for severe asthma, controlled by therapy. METHODS: A case-control investigation was performed to compare 130 adults with severe asthma with 130 without asthma. Individuals with periodontitis were those with ≥4 teeth with ≥1 site with probing depth ≥4 mm, clinical attachment level ≥3 mm, and bleeding upon probing at the same site. Severe asthma diagnosis was based on Global Initiative for Asthma criteria. RESULTS: Association between exposure to periodontitis and severe asthma was found: ORcrude  = 2.98 (95% CI: 1.74-5.11). When confounders were considered, the association between exposure to periodontitis and severe asthma was maintained: ORadjusted  = 3.01-3.25. Individuals with periodontitis had about a threefold increased risk of severe asthma than those without periodontitis. Frequency of periodontitis in participants with severe asthma was greater than that of those without asthma (46.6% vs 22.3%, p ≤ .05). CONCLUSIONS: Association between periodontitis and severe asthma was observed. Further investigation is required to determine the direction of this relationship. It may be causal, but it may also be a consequence of the immunopathological process that characterizes asthma, or else, consequence of the medication used for treatment.

Influence of periodontitis in the development of nosocomial pneumonia: a case control study.

BACKGROUND: Although a number of studies on the role of periodontitis in the development of nosocomial pneumonia (NP) have been published, the debate surrounding the existence and nature of this association continues. The present study investigates the influence of periodontitis in NP. METHODS: This case-control study involved 315 individuals: 85 cases (with NP) and 230 controls (without NP), at a general hospital in Feira de Santana, Bahia, Brazil. Sociodemographic characteristics, health conditions, and lifestyle habits were recorded. A full-mouth periodontal examination was performed and periodontal condition assessed. The diagnosis of NP was made in accordance with established medical criteria, after physical, microbiologic, and/or radiographic examination. Logistic regression was used to calculate the strength of the association between periodontitis and NP. RESULTS: Individuals with periodontitis were three times as likely to present with NP (unadjusted odds ratio [OR unadjusted] = 3.06, 95% confidence interval [95% CI]: 1.82 to 5.15) as those without periodontal disease. After adjusting for age, time between hospitalization and data collection, last visit to dentist, smoking habit, and present occupation, the association measurement had a slight decrease (OR adjusted = 2.88, 95% CI: 1.59 to 5.19), but the results continued to be statistically significant. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that periodontal infection may influence the development of NP, highlighting that periodontitis is a factor positively associated with this respiratory tract infection.

Chronic periodontitis and C-reactive protein levels.

BACKGROUND: This study aims to analyze the relationship between chronic periodontitis and C-reactive protein (CRP) by considering associated variables in individuals with or without cardiovascular disease. METHODS: A sample of 359 individuals of both sexes (aged ≥40 years) was assessed. Among these individuals, 144 subjects were admitted to the hospital because of a first occurrence of acute myocardial infarction; 80 subjects were in the hospital for reasons other than acute myocardial infarction; and 135 subjects were living in the community. A questionnaire was applied to obtain demographic and lifestyle characteristics. Complete clinical periodontal examinations and anthropometric assessments were performed. CRP levels, plasma glucose levels, lipid profiles, and blood tests were performed to investigate any conditions that might have suggested infection and/or inflammation. CRP evaluations were performed using nephelometry. Individuals were considered to have periodontal disease if they simultaneously presented at least four teeth with one or more sites with probing depth ≥4 mm, clinical attachment loss ≥3 mm, and bleeding on probing. Procedures for descriptive analyses and logistic regression were used. RESULTS: In the chronic periodontitis group, mean CRP levels were higher than those in the group without chronic periodontitis (2.6 ± 2.6 mg/L versus 1.78 ± 2.7 mg/L, respectively). The final model showed that individuals with chronic periodontitis were more likely to have high CRP levels (adjusted odds ratio: 2.26; 95% confidence interval: 1.30 to 3.93) considering the effects of age, schooling level, sex, smoking, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and diabetes. CONCLUSION: In this study, chronic periodontitis is associated with elevated plasma CRP levels, even after controlling for several potential confounders.

Outcome measurements in studies on the association between osteoporosis and periodontal disease.

BACKGROUND: The present study aims to compare different diagnostic criteria for periodontal disease that were used to study the association between periodontal disease and osteoporosis. METHODS: A database from a case-control study was used. The present study included sociodemographic, lifestyle, and health-condition data; panoramic radiographs; and clinical measurements on periodontal conditions from 139 postmenopausal women. Each participant was classified with regard to the diagnosis of periodontal disease using five different criteria for the outcome measurement (OM) found in the literature in studies on the association between osteoporosis and periodontal disease (OM1 through OM5). The frequency of periodontal disease and diagnostic values were calculated taking OM5 as the gold standard and the main association measurement for all criteria using odds ratios. RESULTS: The frequency of periodontal disease varied from 24.5% to 98.6% depending on the OM used. OM4 and OM3 presented the highest specificity (98.9% and 94.5%, respectively), whereas OM2 and OM1 presented the highest sensitivity (100% and 77.1%, respectively). The association measurements with adjustments for age and smoking varied significantly according to the OM over a range from 1.87 to 3.75, and there were also variations in the statistical significance of the associations found. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study emphasize that the frequency of periodontal disease may be influenced by different OMs and indicated variations outside of the association between osteoporosis and periodontal disease. Therefore, there is a need for prior selection of a precise measurement of periodontal disease in investigations on this topic.

Relationship among gender, race, age, gingival width, and probing depth in primary teeth.

BACKGROUND: Limited information is available regarding the attached keratinized tissue, probing depth, and sociodemographic characteristics of primary teeth. This study was carried out to evaluate the relationship among age, gender, race, gingival width, and probing depth in each primary tooth type. METHODS: The study population consisted of 300 children, aged 4 to 6 years, with clinically healthy gingiva, who were enrolled in an oral health program. Gingival width and probing depth were measured with a standard Williams periodontal probe in the middle of the keratinized gingiva and at six gingival sites (mesio-buccal, mid-buccal, disto-buccal, mesio-lingual, mid-lingual, and disto-lingual), respectively. Schiller's solution was used to establish the limits of keratinized gingiva. RESULTS: The gingival width (mean +/- SD) on the buccal surfaces decreased from anterior to posterior positions in both arches; in the lower lingual surfaces, the inverse was observed. The gingival width (mean +/- SD) ranged from 2.95 +/- 0.15 mm to 6.16 +/- 0.20 mm and the probing depth from 1.03 +/- 0.91 mm to 2.08 +/- 0.07 mm. There was a tendency toward increased probing depth as age increased from 4 to 6 years. There was also an increase in the probing depth from anterior to posterior teeth. CONCLUSIONS: In the majority of observations, it was concluded that there was a relationship among age, gingival width, and probing depth, but generally not among race and gender and these measurements, respectively. Furthermore, there is no relation between gender and gingival width and race and probing depth.