Associations between IgG antibody to oral organisms and carotid intima–medial thickness in community-dwelling adults

Aims The aims of this study are to describe the relationships between IgG antibodies to 17 oral organisms and atherosclerosis as indexed by carotid intima–medial wall thickness (IMT) and to evaluate the role of smoking. Methods and results Our study is based on a subset of participants in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study, who received a complete periodontal examination during visit 4 (1996–1998). The outcome was mean carotid IMT ≥ 1 mm assessed by B-mode ultrasound. The exposures were serum IgG antibody levels against 17 periodontal organisms using a whole bacterial checkerboard immunoblotting technique. Evaluation of all 17 antibodies indicated that antibody to Campylobacter rectus resulted in the best-fitting model (OR = 2.3, 95% CI = 1.83–2.84) and individuals with both high C. rectus and Peptostreptococcus micros titers had almost twice the prevalence of IMT ≥ 1 mm than those with only a high C. rectus antibody (8.3% versus 16.3%). Stratification by smoking indicated that all microbial models significant for smokers were also significant for never smokers except for Porphyromonas gingivalis (p = 0.08). Conclusions This is the first study to report a relationship between IgG antibody reactive to oral organisms and subclinical atherosclerosis with significant relationships evident in both ever and never smokers.