P63 Periodontal health status is associated with daily blood pressure levels in adolescents with hypertension

Aim To establish significant associations between periodontal health status, daily blood pressure (BP) profile and cardiovascular risk factors in adolescents with elevated BP. Materials and methods A cross-sectional study was conducted. We included 113 adolescents (78 boys) of 10–17 years whose BP level, after repeated office measurements, was at ≥95th percentile for this age group, height and sex, or ≥140/90 mmHg in adolescents over 16 years. All adolescents underwent 24-hour blood pressure monitoring, blood tests (lipid profile, fasting glucose, levels of uric acid, ALT and AST), echocardiography (left ventricular mass index, relative wall thickness), anthropometric measurements with BMI calculation, Tanner staging, dental examination (complex dental plaque index, oral hygiene index). We used univariate and multiple regression analyses to evaluate the associations between periodontium state and cardiovascular risk factors (adjusted to sex, age, Tanner stage, BMI, oral hygiene index). Results Clinical signs of periodontitis were observed in 32.7% of adolescents. At the same time, no severe forms of periodontitis were diagnosed. Multiple regression analysis showed significant associations of complex dental plaque index with 24-hour systolic, mean and pulse BP levels (β=0.42, p=0.0001; β=0.31, p=0.003; β=0.26, p=0.018 respectively), daytime diastolic BP level (β=0.23, p=0,019), and indices of 24-hour systolic BP load (β=0.42, p=0.0001) and daytime diastolic BP load (β=0.25, p=0.006). None of other cardiovascular risk factors showed any significant association with periodontium state during the multiple regression analysis. Conclusion The association between periodontal health status and BP is observed in adolescence, preceding the formation of comorbid associations between periodontitis and lipid and carbohydrate metabolism disorders. Obtained results corroborate examining the periodontal health status and, if necessary, conducting timely preventive activities in adolescents with elevated BP. The results also support evaluation of BP in adolescents with confirmed periodontitis.