Background: Pneumonia after thoracic surgery considerably contribute to perioperative morbidity and mortality. So far, the forced expiratory volume in one second and diffusing capacity of the lungs for carbon dioxide are the most common validated prognosticators to estimate individual risk. Beyond functional parameters, modifiable risk factors for respiratory complications like pneumonia are poorly investigated in a prospective way. Thus, we aimed to assess the impact of oral health status in patients undergoing thoracic surgery and its correlation to perioperative outcomes.Methods: A prospective observational study included adult patients undergoing elective thoracic surgery from October 2, 2018 to April 29, 2020. The day before surgery, patients were examined by a dentist.Oral health status (caries, periodontal disease, tooth loss, and regular dental visits) was correlated with perioperative outcomes.Results: During the study period, 230 consecutive patients were included. Oral health status was poor in the study population. Postoperative complications were associated with active caries (odds ratio 2.5, P<0.03).Patients with frequent dental visits and treated teeth had a lower risk for postoperative complications compared with patients without regular visits (odds ratio 0.3, P<0.02). Patients with a high burden of caries had a significantly increased risk for pneumonia (odds ratio 7.9, P<0.002). The forced expiratory volume in one second was a significant prognosticator for postoperative complications; however, no association between the forced expiratory volume in one second and oral health parameters was observed.Conclusions: A pathological oral health status is a modifiable factor predicting postoperative complications and pneumonia. A prospective randomized interventional study is warranted to clarify whether an improvement in oral health status can lead to a reduction of perioperative risk.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
334 Leonard St
Brooklyn, NY 11211
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.