Treating Gum Disease Following Catheter Ablation Reduces Risk of AFib Recurrence

Treating gum disease within 3 months of catheter ablation to correct atrial fibrillation (AFib) may lower the risk of oral inflammation and also reduce the risk of AFib recurrence, according to recent research published in the Journal of the American Heart Association. 

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 50% of adults aged 30 or older have some form of periodontal or gum disease, and incidence increases with age. This study marked the first analysis to investigate the potential impact of gum disease treatment on AFib.

Researchers analyzed 97 patients who had undergone catheter ablation, a nonsurgical procedure, to correct AFib and received treatment for gum inflammation, along with 191 ablation patients who did not undergo treatment for gum disease. Following ablation, during the average follow-up period of 8.5 months to 2.0 years, AFib recurred among 24% of all participants. Investigators noted that participants with severe gum inflammation who received treatment following catheter ablation were 61% less likely to have a recurrence of AFib than those who did not receive treatment for severe gum inflammation.

Overall, the study showed that having gum disease, being female, experiencing irregular heartbeat for more than 2 years, and left atrial volume were predictors of AFib recurrence.

“Gum disease can be modified by dental intervention. Proper management of gum disease appears to improve the prognosis of AFib, and many people around the world could benefit from it,” said lead study author Shunsuke Miyauchi, MD, PhD, an assistant professor at the Health Service Center at Hiroshima University in Japan who engages in general cardiology, arrhythmia practice, and research, via a press release.

“While the main findings were consistent with expectations, we were surprised by how useful a quantitative index of gum disease, known as periodontal inflamed surface area or PISA, could be in cardiovascular clinical practice,” Dr. Miyauchi added. “We are now working on further research to reveal the mechanism underlying the relationship between gum disease and AFib.”