Oral microbiome dysbiosis in selected cardiovascular diseases

The aim of this study was to characterize the microbiome of mature carotid atherosclerotic plaques using multiple methods, including next-generation sequencing (NGS) targeting the 16S rRNA gene. Sixty-five plaques were collected intraoperatively from patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy and classified into three groups: one comprising individuals with clinically diagnosed periodontal disease, another including individuals with clinically healthy periodontal tissues, and a third consisting of edentulous patients with no remaining natural teeth. NGS-based profiling revealed significant differences in microbial diversity and overall composition among the groups. Certain bacterial taxa were found to be more abundant in specific groups, enabling clear microbial differentiation according to periodontal status. Correlation analyses demonstrated associations between selected bacterial genera and systemic inflammatory, lipid, and hematological markers. These findings suggest that the microbiota composition within mature atherosclerotic plaques may reflect periodontal health and contribute to systemic inflammatory and metabolic processes involved in atherosclerosis.