Qat Chewing and Periodontal Pathogens in Health and Disease: Further Evidence for a Prebiotic-Like Effect
Table 2
Clinical characteristics of the qat chewers and qat nonchewers by periodontal health status.
Variable
Health
Periodontitis
Qat nonchewers
Qat chewers
Qat nonchewers
Qat chewers
Age, median (interquartile range)
32.0 (31.3–33.8)
32.0 (31.0–33.8)
NS
44.0 (36.3–50.0)
40.0 (32.5–45.0)
NS
% males
60%
80%
NS
70%
95%
0.05
% cigarette smokers
20%
35%
NS
35%
80%
0.005
% water pipe smokers
0%
10%
NS
15%
20%
NS
Plaque index, median (interquartile range)
0.17 (0.13–0.25)
0.41 (0.24–1.03)
0.001
1.67 (1.44–1.96)
1.73 (1.59–1.92)
NS
Mean CPI score, median (interquartile range)
0.00 (0.00-0.00)
0.00 (0.00–0.17)
NS
2.67 (2.50–3.00)
2.58 (2.38–2.83)
NS
Mean CAL score, median (interquartile range)
0.00 (0.00-0.00)
0.00 (0.17–0.29)
0.004
0.83 (0.54–1.63)
1.00 (0.54–2.00)
NS
value: Chi square for categorical variables and Mann-Whitney test for scale variables. NS: not significant. Mean CPI/CAL score was calculated for each study subject (average of six scores). At the group level, the data (mean CPI/CAL scores) were presented as medians and interquartile ranges.
