Periodontal status and its correlation with haematological parameters in patients with leukaemia.

AIM

This cross-sectional study evaluated periodontal status in patients with leukaemia and its correlation with haematological parameters.

METHODS

Patients with different types of leukaemia and minimum age of 14 years were eligible. Calibrated examiners assessed Seymour index (SI), plaque index (PlI), gingival index (GI), probing depth (PD), bleeding on probing (BOP) and clinical attachment loss (CAL) and performed an interview. Haematological parameters were obtained from haemogram performed on the same day of the periodontal examinations.

RESULTS

Sixty-eight patients were evaluated, which corresponded to an 85% response rate. Periodontal parameters were in agreement with plaque accumulation (PlI 1.28 ± 0.5, GI 0.74 ± 0.4, PD 2.27 ± 0.6, BOP 33%, CAL 2.31 ± 1.6). PlI and CAL were statistically lower in acute leukaemia (1.13 ± 0.61 and 1.96 ± 1.7) in comparison with chronic leukaemia (1.46 ± 0.44 and 2.74 ± 1.4). Moreover, older age (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.27-1.56), higher educational level (CI: -1.94 to -0.64) and smoker (CI: 0.39-1.96) were associated with CAL. Correlation between periodontal and haematological parameters was not observed. Correlations between GI x SI and PD x SI were statistically significant (r(S) = 0.390, p = 0.001; r(S) = 0.517, p = 0.000 respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

Periodontal parameters were consistent with plaque accumulation and did not correlate with haematological parameters irrespective of the leukaemia type.