ANRIL is a genetic risk factor for several conditions with inflammatory components in Caucasians, and is the strongest genetic susceptibility locus for periodontitis [12,13] and several types of ACVD, like coronary artery disease (CAD), myocardial infarction, abdominal aortic aneurysm and intracranial aneurysm [14–16]. Here, CDKN2B-AS1 is linked to periodontitis.