Periodontitis and bone metabolism in patients with advanced heart failure and after heart transplantation

Aims Heart failure (HF) is a multi­organ, pro‐inflammatory syndrome that impairs bone metabolism. Pro‐inflammatory cytokines and bone catabolism enhance periodontal disease, a local inflammatory, bacteria‐induced disease that causes bone loss and periodontal soft tissue destruction. Methods and results Medical and dental examinations were performed on patients with HF (n = 39), following heart transplantation (post‐HTx, n = 38) and controls (n = 32). Blood, saliva, and gingival crevicular fluid were analysed for bone metabolism and inflammation markers. HF average New York Heart Association classification was III. Average time since HTx was 1414 days. Pro‐inflammatory tumour necrosis factor‐alpha was higher in HF and HTx as compared with controls (P