Endodontic status of patients with coronary atherosclerosis: A cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND: There are no studies in the Colombian population assessing the prevalence and severity of apical lesions (ALs), or the relationship between the frequency and quality of endodontic treatment (ET) obturation and the presence of ALs in patients with coronary atherosclerosis (CA). OBJECTIVES: The present study aimed to estimate the frequency of ALs and ET in Colombian patients with CA, and to identify a possible association between the frequency and severity of ALs and CA. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study had a cross-sectional design. We included patients with the evidence of CA diagnosed by coronary angiography. The main outcome variables were the number of compromised coronary arteries and their degree of obstruction, as well as ET, including ALs and previously treated teeth (PTT). The periapical index (PAI) was assessed using periapical radiographs. RESULTS: A total of 1,394 teeth from 69 patients were evaluated (δ = 20.2 teeth/patient). The frequency of ALs and ET was 5.7% and 10.1%, respectively, considering all teeth evaluated, with a greater presence in the maxilla (50.6% and 51.4%, respectively). Apical lesions were most frequently observed in premolars and molars (35.4%), whereas ET was more frequent in molars (38.6%). Among teeth with ALs, PAI 3 was the most frequent score. Apical lesions were present in 40.0% of endodontically treated teeth; 79.2% of these teeth had inadequate obturation, of which 40 (39.2%) had ALs (p = 0.021). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with CA, a high incidence of ALs and ET was observed, with no evidence of an association between the frequency of ALs, the severity of coronary vessel occlusion, and the number of coronary arteries affected. More ALs were observed in teeth with inadequate ET. However, as we did not have a control group for comparison, these findings should be interpreted with caution.