Stability of Blood Parameters in Chronic Periodontitis Patients- A Comparative Study

Introduction:Anemia of chronic disease is defined as anemia occurring in chronic infections, inflammatory conditions or neoplastic disorders that are not due to marrow deficiencies or other diseases, and occurring despite presence of adequate iron stores and vitamins. Methods: A total of 40 patients were selected for the study. Participants were divided into two groups viz group A (test group; n=20) with moderate to severe periodontitis and group B (control group; n=20) with periodontally healthy subjects. The patients chosen for the study had at least 30% or more of teeth having greater than or equal to 4 mm probing depth. Clinical parameters like gingival index (GI), Sulcus Bleeding Index (SBI), plaque index (PI),probing pocket depth (PD) and clinical attachment levels (CAL) were recorded for all the patients and blood parameters (hemoglobin and red blood cell count) were determined from peripheralblood samples. The results were analyzed statistically. Results: The mean values of hemoglobin (Hb) and red blood cell (RBC) count were significantly reduced in test group as compared to control group. Conclusion: A positive relationship was observed between the blood parameters viz. Hb, RBC count, and the severity of the chronic periodontal disease. Like other chronic conditions, periodontitis can tend towards anemia showing their association. Keywords: Anemia, Chronic Periodontitis, Hemoglobin (Hb), Red Blood Cell Count (RBC Count).