Evaluation of Periodontal Status in Diabetes Mellitus Type 2 Patients Based on HbA1c and CRP

During the last decades, there has been an increasing interest in the relationship between diabetes mellitus (DM) and periodontitis. Some evidence has suggested that inflammatory factors like C-reactive protein (CRP) can be contributing factors to both periodontitis and diabetes. This study was aimed at assessing periodontal position in diabetes mellitus type 2 patients based on HbA1c and CRP.

76 patients with diabetes mellitus2 (DM2) were divided based on glycemic control: 35 subjects with HbA1c less than 7% and 41 subjects with HbA1c≥7%. The following measurements were conducted: Serum HbA1c and C-reactive protein (CRP), gingival Index (GI), plaque Index (PI), clinical attachment loss (CAL), bleeding on probing (BOP), and probing depth (PD). Moreover, age, gender and duration of diabetes of the patients were also analyzed.

In this study, 24 women and 11 men by mean age of 55/31±8/37 were in a good diabetic patients’ group (HbA1c<7%) and 30 females and 11 males by the mean age of 53/76±9/91 were in poor control diabetic patients (HbA1c≥7%). A significant correlation between the elevation of CRP and increased level of HbA1c was observed (P<0/001). The patients` age was associated with the duration of diabetes (P=0/024) and women had significantly more duration of diabetes than men (P=0/012). Regarding PD, CAL, BOP and PI, there was no significant difference between the analyzed groups. Also, no significant relationship between CRP and periodontal parameters has been found.

CRP was found as a predictor of HbA1c in patients with poor glycemic control. This implies higher infection rates due to diabetes.