In recent decades, the role played by the immune response to bacteria in the pathogenesis of chronic periodontal disease (PD) has long been studied. Although from the clinical point of view, adequate oral hygiene is essential to ensure a satisfactory response of the host to infections, modulation of the reaction of immune system could be influenced by genetic factors. The aim of the present study was to investigate the distribution of alleles of polymorphisms relevant for chronic periodontitis in a sample of adult subjects affected by chronic PD. The present study was conducted with sample collected in Italian private practice offices from January 2013 to December 2017. The sample included 744 adult patients diagnosed with chronic periodontitis. The inclusion criteria were as follows: age > 18 years, diagnosis of chronic PD. The diagnosis of chronic periodontitis was based on the criteria established by the American Academy of Periodontology. No significant difference in allele distribution among patients from different Italian regions was found. Results, supporting absence of population heterogeneity for the investigated polymorphisms in Italy, suggest similar effect in periodontitis etiology.
Keywords: Italian population; chronic periodontal disease (PD); genetic susceptibility.