Association of height with inflammation and periodontitis
Wed Apr 18, 2007 4:14 pm (PST)
J Clin Periodontol. 2007 Mar 13; [
Association of height with inflammation and periodontitis: the Study
of Health in Pomerania.
Meisel P, Kohlmann T, Kocher T.
Department of Pharmacology, Ernst Moritz Arndt University
Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany.
Aim: Short stature in adulthood has been associated with increased
risk of health problems. Predisposition to inflammatory diseases
might be associated with impaired length growth and impose a
lifelong inflammatory burden. We tested this hypothesis in a cross-
sectional population-based study with respect to periodontitis.
Material and Methods: In 4290 randomly selected subjects from the
normal population, we determined anthropometric measures and
diagnostic periodontal parameters. Behavioural and environmental
risk factors were assessed by interviews and questionnaires.
Results: In regression analyses adjusted for age, gender, smoking,
diabetes, education, and dental appointments, an inverse association
was observed between height and clinical attachment loss. The
magnitude of the association was higher in presence of risk factors
smoking or diabetes. Odds ratios for smoking were 3.5 (2.2-5.7%, 95%
confidence interval) and 2.6 (1.5-4.3%) with the shortest and
tallest height quartile, respectively. Figures for diabetes were
1.37 (1.04-1.80%) and 0.97 (0.67-1.39%), respectively.
Stratification for age and gender revealed that taller subjects had
less periodontitis and decreased concentrations of markers of
systemic inflammation than their shorter counterparts. Conclusion:
This study is the first to associate height with periodontitis
concluding that individuals born with a high susceptibility to
infectious and inflammatory diseases may suffer from such diseases
in childhood whereby the length growth could be impaired. Reaching
adulthood, growth comes to a halt but the individual remains
susceptible to inflammatory sequelae. Thus, smaller persons pertain
a tendency to more severe periodontitis.
