Aim: Chronic periodontitis is multifactorial and numerous risk factors have been identified to contribute in the disease progression. Current study aimed to conduct a cross-sectional study in a population of patients with cardiovascular diseases in order to correlate the association between obesity [body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC)] and periodontal disease parameters. Materials and methods:The study was of a cross-sectional design and a total of 201 patients were examined after obtaining their informed consent. Subjects who had a history of cardiovascular diseases and under treatment were included in the study. Two indicators of obesity were used: BMI and WC. The following periodontal parameters were assessed: Probing depth, clinical attachment level. The oral hygiene status of the subjects was assessed by the oral hygiene index (OHI, simplified) given by John C Greene and Jack R Vermillion. The influence of the BMI and other confounding variables on periodontitis severity was assessed by multivariate logistic regression analysis. Data were analyzed using SPSS.Results: Significant association was seen with low density lipoproteins (LDL) and severity of periodontitis (p < 0.005), triglyceride levels (TGL) and severity of periodontitis (p < 0.005), cholesterol and severity of periodontitis (p < 0.005), BMI and severity of periodontitis (p < 0.001), OHI and severity of periodontitis (p < 0.001). Significant association was seen with smoking and severity of periodontitis (p < 0.005), BMI and severity of periodontitis (p < 0.001), WC and severity of periodontitis (p < 0.001), cholesterol and severity of periodontitis (p < 0.001), OHI and severity of periodontitis (p < 0.001). Conclusion:Obesity has been implicated as a risk factor for several conditions including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, etc. In our study the relation between measures of overall and abdominal obesity (BMI and WC) and periodontal disease showed significant association in the multivariate logistic regression analysis independent of other confounding factors.Clinical significance: Obesity can act as a significant risk factor in progression of periodontitis.

Introduction: Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of metabolic risk factors which includes central obesity, glucose intolerance, hyperinsulinemia, low HDL cholesterol, high triglycerides and hypertension. Acanthosis nigricans, the principal abnormality in metabolic syndrome (MetS), is an easily identifiable asymptomatic non-specific reaction pattern of skin characterized by thickened, hyperpigmented plaques associated with hyperinsulinemia. Aims and Objectives: To determine the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and AN in adolescent and adults and the association between benign acquired AN and metabolic syndrome. Materials and Methods: A sample of 40 patients selected from Dermatology outpatient department who satisfied the selection criteria to evaluate the prevalence of AN and its association with insulin resistance and the clustering of the MetS components. Epidemiological, clinical and anthropometric characteristics (height, weight, waist circumference) were measured and BMI was calculated. We used the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP ATP III) criteria for the diagnosis of metabolic syndrome. Results: The average age of the study population was 26.8 years, with male to female ratio of 1:1. The prevalence of acanthosis nigricans among females is greater than males, which also showed a positive correlation with increase in the age. BMI was higher in patients with metabolic syndrome than the patients without metabolic syndrome.There was a statistically significant correlation of increasing incidence of AN with each component of metabolic syndrome. Conclusion: There is an increased prevalence of MetS in the individuals with AN which was statistically highly significant. Hence, early screening of a simple clinical marker like AN is helpful in identification of MetS components.