Determining the role of Wnt signalling & IGFBP6 in enhanced atherosclerosis risk in periodontal patients: biomarker & therapeutic potential evaluation
Understanding the link between gum disease and heart attacks
Approximately 150 gum disease(periodontitis severe form of gum disease) subjects and 150 healthy volunteers (good gum health) will be approached once whilst attending a dental clinic for the management of periodontitis or for a regular dental appointment at Bristol Dental Hospital. Participants will be approached only by members of their clinical care team and not by the researchers. From these approaches we hope to obtain samples of blood from 125 participants with severe periodontitis and 125 healthy volunteers. This allows for approximately 1/6 of those approached to decline and still reach our targets. Sufficient participants with and without periodontal disease attend Bristol Dental Hospital for it to be possible to approach 250 to take part in this study, and without compromising any other ongoing studies. Saliva will be collected from 20 people with periodontitis and 20 healthy volunteers from the above sample. Blood and saliva samples will also be collected from people with periodontal disease both pre and post treatment and from age and gender matched healthy volunteers at similar time points (n=12 per group). Participants will be provided with a Participant Information Sheet. The Patient Information Sheet explaining the study outlines: 1. What they can expect to happen for sample taking 2. What will happen to their samples – storage, testing 3. Who will have access to their samples 4. Who will have access to the results 5. When their samples will be destroyed 6. It also mentions that the clinician will score their gums for periodontal disease and that their scores will also be provided in anonymised form to the researchers A sample of blood (2 tubes) will be taken from the participant by a trained clinician using standard venipuncture. A sample of saliva will be collected in a sterile tube (2mls). The clinician will also score the patient's gum health using the Basic Periodontal Exam (BPE). After donation, the participant will have no further participa
People with periodontitis: 1. All people over the age of 18 years 2. Capacity to consent 3. Attending a scheduled dental appointment at the University of Bristol Dental Hospital 4. People with unstable severe periodontitis or a high susceptibility to periodontitis ( as defined by the British Society of Periodontology 2019 implementation of the 2017 World Workshop Classification of periodontal and peri-implant diseases and conditions: Stage III/IV and Grade C. ) 5. At least 18 erupted teeth Healthy volunteers: 6. All people over the age of 18 years 7. Capacity to consent 8. Attending a scheduled dental appointment 9. People with no evidence of periodontitis 10. At least 18 erupted teeth
Exclusion criteria for people with periodontitis: 1. All people under the age of 18 years 2. Those who lack capacity to consent 3. History of cardiovascular disease such as hypertension, angina, previous myocardial infarction, heart failure, aortic disease, arrhythmia, heart valve disease. 4. History of autoimmune/autoinflammatory diseases such as Sjogren's syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, systemic lupus erythematosus, or systemic sclerosis 5. History of endocrine disease including diabetes mellitus types 1 and 2 6. Currently taking antibiotics or has had antibiotics in the preceding 6 months 7. People taking statins, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications, immunosuppressive medications or corticosteroids. 8. Smokers of tobacco (including Vaping/e-cigarettes) 9. History of salivary gland disease or oral mucosa disease Exclusion criteria for healthy volunteers: 10. All people under the age of 18 years 11. Those who lack capacity to consent 12. History of cardiovascular disease such as hypertension, angina, previous myocardial infarction, heart failure, aortic disease, arrhythmia, heart valve disease 13. History of autoimmune/autoinflammatory diseases such as Sjogren's syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, systemic lupus erythematosus, or systemic sclerosis 14. History of endocrine disease including diabetes mellitus types 1 and 2 15. Currently taking antibiotics or has had antibiotics in the preceding 6 months 16. People taking statins, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications, immunosuppressive medications or corticosteroids. 17. Smokers of tobacco (including Vaping/e-cigarettes) 18. History of salivary gland disease or oral mucosa disease