Gingival Imaging in CCB patients
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Investigation of gingival vasculature and periodontal inflammation in subjects taking calcium channel blocker drugs .
IRAS ID
192703
Contact name
Francis J Hughes
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Kings College London
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 4 months, 21 days
Research summary
Calcium Channel Blockers (CCBs) are a very commonly used group of medications taken to treat high blood pressure. They are recognised to sometimes cause increased gum disease and gum swelling as one of their side effects.
Although the reasons for this effect on gum disease are not fully understood, empirically those people affected seem to have increased inflammation in their gums, and we hypothesise that changes may be the result of increased blood flow to the inflamed gums.In order to test this we aim to recruit patients with gum disease ('Chronic Periodontitis') who are either also taking CCBs or not. After a normal dental examination we will directly look at the blood vessels and tissue density in the gum using a medical microendoscope instrument and by a technique known as Optical Coherence Tomography. In addition we will collect samples of saliva and gingival crevicular fluid (gum fluid) and assay these for the presence of biochemical markers of inflammation.
REC name
London - Fulham Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
16/LO/0770
Date of REC Opinion
20 Apr 2016
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion