Abstract: Objective To explore anesthetic adverse effects (AAEs) related visceral organ lesions in combined diet-induced obese (DIO) and ligation-induced periodontitis (LIP) models. Methods Combined DIO (16-week on diet) and LIP (5- or 10-day ligation) mouse (C57 BL/6J, male) models were studied (n = 120). Following DIO period, LIP was established under anesthesia with 4% w/v chloral hydrate (i.p.), with sham-ligation as the control. Abdominal organ lesions related to AAEs were assessed by general necropsy. Results AAEs-related organ lesions were found in 14.8% (17/115) of the mice. The involved organs included epididymis, visceral adipose tissue, kidney, spleen and liver, which were all lesioned on the same side. Despite no significance, the proportions of organ lesions and adhesion were 1 (18.1% vs. 9.3%, P = 0.31) and 2 (8.3% vs. 2.3%, P = 0.37) times higher, respectively, in DIO mice than those in normal-weight controls and were 1 (19.0% vs. 10.5%, P = 0.31) and 4 (10.3% vs. 1.8%, P = 0.12) times higher, respectively, after 10 days of ligation than those after 5 days of ligation. Conclusions Potential confounding effects of AAEs should be critically assessed when studying the correlation between obesity and periodontitis.

Key words: Anesthesiology, Models, animal, Obesity, Periodontal diseases, Side effects