Assessment of Fasting Blood Glucose in Chronic Periodontitis Patients Visiting a Tertiary Hospital

Introduction: It is well-established that diabetes unfavorably influences periodontal health and results in periodontitis. However, upcoming evidence also shows that periodontitis initiates a chronic state of insulin resistance leading to hyperglycemia. Objectives: We designed this study to assess fasting blood glucose levels in chronic periodontitis patients and also explore the relationship between severity of chronic periodontitis and fasting blood glucose levels with an analysis of their risk factors in adult the population of eastern Nepal. Methods: A cross-sectional hospital-based study was conducted on a total of 141 chronic periodontitis patients aged 30-55 years who were divided into Group A (Mild periodontitis) and Group B (Moderate/ Severe periodontitis) according to the American Academy of Periodontology / Centres for Disease Control (AAP/ CDC) criteria. Fasting blood glucose level was analyzed as normal (<100 mg/dl), impaired fasting (100-125 mg/dl), and diabetic (≥126 mg/dl) based on the American Diabetes Association (ADA) criteria. Results: Among the 141 subjects examined, Group A accounted to be 43.26% and Group B 56.74%. The mean fasting blood glucose level was 121.51 ± 53.67 mg/dl. The Chi-square test showed that severity of periodontitis and body mass index were significantly associated with the categories of fasting blood glucose. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that age (OR=1.08), gender (OR=3.48) and body mass index (OR=0.38) were significantly associated with impaired fasting glucose. The risk of acquiring diabetes in mild periodontitis was 0.255 times less likely than in severe periodontitis (OR=0.255, CI 0.065-0.997). Conclusions: The severity of chronic periodontitis showed a significant association with the categories of fasting blood glucose.