The Prevalence of the Periodontal Pathogen Selenomonas noxia and Salivary Visfatin Level in Overweight and Obese Individuals with Periodontitis

Jannah Aqeel Jasim, Ghasaq Asim Abdul-Wahab Department of Oral Surgery and Periodontology, College of Dentistry, Mustansiriyah University, Baghdad, IraqCorrespondence: Jannah Aqeel Jasim, Department of Oral Surgery and Periodontology, College of Dentistry, Mustansiriyah University, Baghdad, Iraq, Email [email protected]: Periodontal diseases are prevalent and can be worsened by conditions such as obesity. Understanding obesity impact on periodontal health is essential for developing effective management strategies. Hence, the aim of the present study was to assess the prevalence of Selenomonas noxia and pro-inflammatory visfatin marker for periodontitis in overweight/obese and non-obese population and correlate them with periodontal status.Materials and Methods: Eighty-five participants aged from (30– 50) years were divided into three groups: healthy controls (n=25), normal-weight periodontitis patients (n=30), and overweight/obese periodontitis patients (n=30). Unstimulated saliva was analyzed for visfatin level using ELISA, and subgingival plaque was examined for S. noxia prevalence using qPCR. Data were analyzed using Kruskal–Wallis, Spearman correlation, and ROC curves.Results: Overweight/obese periodontitis patients had significantly higher salivary visfatin level (111.1 ± 277.4 ng/mL) compared with normal-weight periodontitis (28.2 ± 20.6 ng/mL) and controls (19.3 ± 4.6 ng/mL) (P< 0.001). Similarly, S. noxia was more prevalent in overweight/obese individuals with periodontitis (155052.5± 647,130.3) compared to persons with periodontitis and periodontal health (P< 0.001). Strong positive correlation encountered between bacteria and visfatin level in both patient groups (P< 0.001) and with BMI in the overweight/ obese group (P=0.001). ROC analysis showed excellent diagnostic accuracy for S. noxia in overweight/obese patients with periodontitis (AUC=0.86) and strong performance for visfatin (AUC=0.83).Conclusion: Obesity might play a devastating role in the pathogenesis of periodontitis through the increased salivary visfatin level and S. noxia prevalence. This indicates that they may serve as potential markers for periodontal inflammation in the obese population.Keywords: periodontitis, obesity, salivary biomarkers, visfatin, Selenomonas noxia, qPCR, ELISA