Periodontitis and Stroke Onset, Medical Costs and Length of Hospital Stay: A 5‐Year Cohort Study

AIMS: To evaluate the longitudinal association between periodontitis and stroke onset using medical claims data and also to assess the relationship between periodontitis and stroke-related medical costs and length of hospital stay. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In total, 1997 individuals aged 75 or 80 years were included. The association between periodontitis and stroke onset over a 5-year period was evaluated using a Cox proportional hazards model, with stroke onset as the dependent variable and periodontitis as the independent variable. Restricted mean survival time (RMST) was compared across periodontitis severity groups. In addition, generalised linear models were used to evaluate the relationships of periodontitis with stroke-related medical costs and length of hospital stay among participants who experienced a stroke during the follow-up period. RESULTS: Participants with severe periodontitis had a significantly higher hazard ratio for stroke onset after 23 months of follow-up compared to those without periodontitis and exhibited a significantly reduced RMST for stroke onset. Among 80-year-old participants, those with periodontitis incurred significantly higher treatment costs and spent more days in health care compared to participants without periodontitis. No significant associations were observed among 75-year-old participants. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that periodontitis may be associated with the incidence and severity of stroke, potentially impacting the increased medical care costs associated with stroke.