Study: Periodontal Therapy in Chronic Periodontitis Lowers Gingival Crevicular Fluid Interleukin-1beta and DAS28 in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients

By Bıyıkoğlu B, Buduneli N, et al.
Rheumatol Int. 2013 Jun 1

The purpose of this study was to evaluate clinical outcomes and effects of non-surgical periodontal therapy on serum, gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) interleukin-1beta (IL-1β) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) levels in chronic periodontitis patients with/without rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Fifteen RA patients with chronic periodontitis (RA-P) and 15 systemically healthy non-RA chronic periodontitis patients (H-P) were recruited. Clinical periodontal recordings, GCF, and blood samples were obtained at baseline, 1, 3, and 6 months after periodontal treatment. GCF, serum IL-1β, TNF-α levels were analyzed by ELISA. Disease activity score 28 (DAS28) was used to assess RA clinical morbidity. Study groups were compared using
appropriate statistical analysis. Analysis was used to compare the data at baseline, 1, 3, and 6 months after periodontal therapy within the same group.

DAS28 decreased significantly after periodontal therapy in RA-P group. Serum TNF-α concentrations of H-P group were significantly higher than those of RA-P group, whereas IL-1β levels were similar. No significant change was observed in serum levels of these cytokines after periodontal therapy. GCF IL-1β amounts decreased significantly in both groups following treatment. At 6-months, H-P GCF IL-1β concentrations were significantly lower than baseline. DAS28 and GCF IL-1β correlated with clinical periodontal indices. Significant decreases in DAS28 and GCF IL-1β amounts after periodontal treatment suggest that periodontal therapy synergizes with systemic RA therapy to improve RA status.

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Lloyd E. Parmley, D.M.D. 
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