Family History of MI, Smoking, and Risk of Periodontal Disease.

Periodontal disease (PD) shares common risk factors with cardiovascular disease. Our hypothesis was that having a family history of myocardial infarction (FamHxMI) may be a novel risk factor for PD. Risk assessment based on FamHxMI, conditional on smoking status, was examined given the strong influence of smoking on PD.

Interleukin-1 genotypes modulate the long-term effect of lipoprotein(a) on cardiovascular events: The Ioannina Study.

Background: Lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] is a genetic risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD), and proinflammatory interleukin-1 (IL-1) genotypes may influence Lp(a)-mediated CVD events. The genotype IL-1(+) is associated with higher rates of inflammation than IL-1(-) genotype. Targeting IL-1β was recently shown to decrease CVD events independent of low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol levels.

Influence of Obesity on Periodontitis Progression Is Conditional on Interleukin-1 Inflammatory Genetic Variation.

Background: This study evaluates whether specific patterns of interleukin (IL)-1 gene variants, known to affect periodontitis severity, influence the previously reported association between obesity and subsequent periodontitis progression in a longitudinal database. The study population included 292 men (aged 29 to 64 years at entry) from the Veterans Affairs Dental Longitudinal Study from whom DNA and dental and anthropometric endpoints were collected during multiple examinations (approximately every 3 years for up to 27 years).

Methods: Key variables assessed included: 1) periodontitis; 2) body mass index; 3) waist circumference to height (WHTR) ratio for central adiposity; 4) age; 5) smoking; 6) glucose tolerance; and 7) two previously reported versions of IL-1 genetic patterns associated with periodontitis severity and progression.

Implementation of routine foot check in patients with diabetes on hemodialysis: associations with outcomes.

Objective: Patients with diabetes are at increased risk of foot ulcers, which may result in limb amputations. While regular foot care prevents ulcerations and amputation in those patients with diabetes not on dialysis, evidence is limited in diabetic hemodialysis patients. We investigated the association between the implementation of a routine foot check program in diabetic incident hemodialysis patients, and major lower limb amputations.

Association of interleukin-1 gene variations with moderate to severe chronic periodontitis in multiple ethnicities.

Background And Objective: Genetic markers associated with disease are often non-functional and generally tag one or more functional "causative" variants in linkage disequilibrium. Markers may not show tight linkage to the causative variants across multiple ethnicities due to evolutionary divergence, and therefore may not be informative across different population groups. Validated markers of disease suggest causative variants exist in the gene and, if the causative variants can be identified, it is reasonable to hypothesize that such variants will be informative across diverse populations.