In examining how researchers assess the quality of individual studies in systematic reviews about prognosis, the authors found that appraisal of the quality of the article, a necessary step in syst...

Evaluation of the quality of prognosis studies in systematic reviews.

The preterm parturition syndrome

Background: Obesity is increasing in prevalence and is a major contributor to worldwide morbidity. One consequence of obesity might be an increased risk for periodontal disease, although periodontal inflammation might, in turn, exacerbate the metabolic syndrome, of which obesity is one component. This review aims to systematically compile the evidence of an obesity–periodontal disease relationship from epidemiologic studies and to derive a quantitative summary of the association between these disease states. Methods: Systematic searches of the MEDLINE, SCOPUS, BIOSIS, LILACS, Cochrane Library, and Brazilian Bibliography of Dentistry databases were conducted with the results and characteristics of relevant studies abstracted to standardized forms. A meta-analysis was performed to obtain a summary measure of association. Results: The electronic search identified 554 unique citations, and 70 studies met a priori inclusion criteria, representing 57 independent populations. Nearly all studies matching inclusion criteria were cross-sectional in design with the results of 41 studies suggesting a positive association. The fixed-effects summary odds ratio was 1.35 (Shore-corrected 95% confidence interval: 1.23 to 1.47), with some evidence of a stronger association found among younger adults, women, and non-smokers. Additional summary estimates suggested a greater mean clinical attachment loss among obese individuals, a higher mean body mass index (BMI) among periodontal patients, and a trend of increasing odds of prevalent periodontal disease with increasing BMI. Although these results are highly unlikely to be chance findings, unmeasured confounding had a credible but unknown influence on these estimates. Conclusions: This positive association was consistent and coherent with a biologically plausible role for obesity in the development of periodontal disease. However, with few quality longitudinal studies, there is an inability to distinguish the temporal ordering of events, thus limiting the evidence that obesity is a risk factor for periodontal disease or that periodontitis might increase the risk of weight gain. In clinical practice, a higher prevalence of periodontal disease should be expected among obese adults. J Periodontol 2010;81:1708-1724.

Association Between Chronic Periodontal Disease and Obesity: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background: Currently, a large variety of classifications is used for periodontitis as a risk factor for other diseases. None of these classifications quantifies the amount of inflamed periodontal tissue, while this information is needed to assess the inflammatory burden posed by periodontitis. Aim: To develop a classification of periodontitis that quantifies the amount of inflamed periodontal tissue, which can be easily and broadly applied. Material and Methods: A literature search was conducted to look for a classification of periodontitis that quantified the amount of inflamed periodontal tissue. A classification that quantified the root surface area affected by attachment loss was found. This classification did not quantify the surface area of inflamed periodontal tissue, however. Therefore, an Excel spreadsheet was developed in which the periodontal inflamed surface area (PISA) is calculated using clinical Attachment Level (CAL), recessions and bleeding on probing (BOP). Results: The PISA reflects the surface area of bleeding pocket epithelium in square millimetres. The surface area of bleeding pocket epithelium quantifies the amount of inflamed periodontal tissue. A freely downloadable spreadsheet is available to calculate the PISA. Conclusion: PISA quantifies the inflammatory burden posed by periodontitis and can be easily and broadly applied.

https://www.parsprototo.info/docs/PISA%20quantifying%20inflammatory%20burden.pdf

Periodontal inflamed surface area: quantifying inflammatory burden

Preterm low birth weight and maternal periodontal status: a meta-analysis

Background: This meta-analysis of periodontal disease in relation to the risk of preterm birth/low birth weight (PTB/ LBW) is based on two case-control studies and three prospective cohort studies that met prestated inclusion criteria. Methods: Information on the designs of the studies, characteristics of the study population, exposure and outcome measures, control for confounders, and risk estimates were abstracted independently by two investigators using a standard protocol. Results: Pregnant women with periodontal disease had an overall adjusted risk of preterm birth that was 4.28 (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.62 to 6.99; P <0.005) times that risk for healthy subjects. The overall adjusted odds ratio of preterm low birth weight was 5.28 (95% CI, 2.21 to 12.62; P <0.005), while the overall adjusted odds ratio of a delivery of either PTB or LBW was 2.30 (95% CI, 1.21 to 4.38; P <0.005). Conclusions: Our findings indicate that periodontal diseases in the pregnant mother significantly increase the risk ...

Quteish Ta'ani

Papers

Periodontal Diseases and the Risk of Preterm Birth and Low Birth Weight: A Meta-Analysis