Globally, 3 out of 5 persons lose their lives to chronic inflammatory conditions, such as diabetes, cardiovascular disorders, cancer, chronic respiratory diseases, skin diseases, renal diseases and obesity. Inflammatory diseases are the most prevailing cause of death worldwide and the numbers keep rising.
The network focuses on reducing the burden of infectious and inflammatory diseases caused by pathogens, damaged cells, toxic compounds or radiation in order to develop new diagnostic and treatment technologies.
As a society, we need more knowledge about the correlation between e.g. inflammation and development of cancer, about biomarkers and about molecular mechanisms of autoimmunity in e.g. rheumatological conditions - not to mention chronic mucosal inflammation. In the inflammation network we collaborate interdisciplinearily in order to find answers.
We comprise a wide range of researchers with interest in diagnostic methods, epidemiological data, inflammatory markers and intracellular pathways, understanding of cell population and tissue structures, among others.
Focus groups
National Academies
Paper of the Month
Fernando Valentim Bitencourt
Studies have shown that people with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) are more likely to have gum disease, known as periodontitis, than those without diabetes. But how gum disease relates to other diabetes-related complications has yet to be explored. Our research group aimed to examine the clustering of periodontitis with other diabetes-related complications and understand how they are linked through common risk factors.
In this study, involving 2,429 people from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), we modelled direct and indirect pathways from risk factors to diabetes-related complications, a latent construct comprising periodontitis, retinopathy, cardiovascular diseases, proteinuria, and hypertension. We found that periodontitis co-occurs and clusters with other diabetes complications. Furthermore, we identified risk factors directly affecting diabetes-related complications, including age, sex, smoking, BMI, HbA1c levels, SES, dyslipidemia, healthy diet, and physical activity.
Incorporating periodontitis to target diabetes-related complications prevention and management via their common risk factors represents a potential approach for systemic and oral chronic diseases. It may be a valuable screening tool for other well-known diabetes-related complications since the oral cavity is easy to access.
Reference:
Student worker, network
Email: research-networks.health@au.dk