Periodontal conditions and plaque index correlate with lower oral health-related quality of life in ESRD patientsPeriodontitis Linked to Lower Oral Quality of Life in Kidney Patients

BACKGROUND: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is associated with a higher occurrence of periodontitis, which may be linked to negative psychosocial and physical impacts on the lives of patients affected by both conditions. Therefore, the aim of this systematic review was to evaluate whether periodontal conditions influence OHRQoL in patients with CKD. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Electronic searches were performed in five databases up to May 2025. Observational studies conducted in individuals with CKD that investigated the relationship between periodontal conditions through clinical examinations and OHRQoL, were included. Meta-analyses were performed to estimate the mean difference (MD) in OHRQoL, as well as the correlation. RESULTS: Out of the 2036 potentially eligible reports, 7 studies of patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) were included. Pooled estimates demonstrated that OHIP-14 scores are higher in individuals with ESRD compared to healthy controls. Impaired OHRQoL can be attributed to the higher prevalence of periodontitis in renal patients. Considering a score-response gradient, those with stage III/IV periodontitis had higher OHIP-14 scores compared to patients without periodontitis or with stage I/II periodontitis (MD:1.88; 95%CI: 0.67-3.09; p=0.002). Pooled estimates demonstrated a weak but significant positive correlation between periodontal probing depth (r=0.145; p=0.028) and plaque index (r=0.385; p<0.001) with OHIP-14 scores. CONCLUSIONS: Severe periodontitis, along with higher probing depth and plaque scores, negatively influences the OHRQoL of patients with ESRD. However, these relationships show a small magnitude.