Associations between biochemical parameters and oral health indices in pediatric chronic kidney disease: a cross-sectional study.

内容摘要

Oral health findings in pediatric chronic kidney disease (CKD) are heterogeneous, and CKD-related metabolic alterations may contribute to plaque mineralization and oral hygiene outcomes. Yet, the relationship between routinely measured serum biochemical parameters and standardized caries/oral hygiene indices in children with CKD is not well defined. This study aimed to evaluate the associations between serum biochemical parameters and oral health indices in pediatric CKD. This cross-sectional study included 34 children aged 6-14 years with diagnosed CKD. Demographic and available clinical data were recorded, and routinely measured serum biochemical parameters reflecting renal function, mineral metabolism, acid-base status, hematologic status, and nutritional/metabolic profile were obtained from routine laboratory records. Oral examination included caries assessment using Decayed, Missing, and Filled Teeth (dmft/DMFT) index for primary/permanent dentition and International Caries Detection and Assessment System (ICDAS) II indices, as well as oral hygiene evaluation using the Simplified Oral Hygiene Index (OHI-S), Debris Index (DI), and Calculus Index (CI). Developmental enamel defects were evaluated, and soft tissue lesions were examined. Pearson correlation analysis and Mann-Whitney U tests were performed. Statistical significance was set at p&#x2009;<&#x2009;0.05. Most serum biochemical parameters were not significantly associated with caries experience or oral hygiene indices (p&#x2009;>&#x2009;0.05). Serum magnesium showed weak-to-moderate negative correlations with CI (r&#x2009;=&#x2009;-&#x2009;0.383, p&#x2009;=&#x2009;0.026) and OHI-S (r&#x2009;=&#x2009;-&#x2009;0.362, p&#x2009;=&#x2009;0.035), indicating lower calculus accumulation and lower OHI-S scores with higher magnesium levels. In contrast, ALP demonstrated a weak-to-moderate positive correlation with CI (r&#x2009;=&#x2009;0.386, p&#x2009;=&#x2009;0.024). In this pediatric CKD cohort, routine serum biochemical parameters showed limited cross-sectional associations with caries experience and oral hygiene indices. However, the observed associations of serum magnesium and alkaline phosphatase with calculus accumulation suggest that mineral metabolism-related markers may be linked to plaque mineralization. These findings should be interpreted cautiously in view of the cross-sectional design, small sample size, and clinical heterogeneity of the study group.