DENTAL DISEASE, FIBRINOGEN AND WHITE CELL COUNT - LINKS WITH MYOCARDIAL-INFARCTION

Plasma fibrinogen and white blood cell count were compared in fifty pa tients aged 25-50 years with periodontal disease and in fifty age-matc hed controls with relatively healthy periodontal tissues. Patients had significantly higher levels of fibrinogen and white cell count, and d ental indices correlated significantly with these two cardiovascular r isk factors on multivariate analyses. We suggest that inflammatory den tal disease may be a determinant of fibrinogen level and white cell co unt in the general population, and that fibrinogen and while cell coun t may be two mediators of the link between dental disease and myocardi al infarction.