title: Periodontal alterations in patients with pemphigus vulgaris taking steroids. A biannual assessment.
abstract: Periodontal health parameters and salivary cortisol were studied in 19 adult pemphigus vulgaris patients on chronic steroid therapy. The patient population was divided into non-medicated and medicated subjects at intake into the study. A significant difference between the 2 examinations, performed at an interval of 8.73 months +/- 4.35, was found in bleeding index (p less than 0.000 and p less than 0.04, respectively) and gingival recession (p less than 0.000 and p less than 0.009) in both groups. No changes occurred in alveolar bone height. Steroid therapy altered the bleeding index (R = 0.60 and R = 0.80) and gingival recession (R = 0.87 and 0.91) in a dose-related manner, and induced low salivary cortisol. The findings of this study would suggest suppression of the host inflammatory reaction, resulting in an alleged healthy clinical appearance of the periodontium.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Medicine, Hebrew University, Hadassah School of Dental Medicine, Jerusalem, Israel.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Markitziu
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zafiropoulos
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Flores de Jacoby
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pisanty
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000539:Alveolar Process / Q000473:pathology; D001862:Bone Resorption / Q000473:pathology; D003728:Dental Calculus / Q000473:pathology; D003774:Dental Plaque Index; D005260:Female; D005884:Gingival Hemorrhage / Q000473:pathology; D005889:Gingival Recession / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000032:analysis*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010392:Pemphigus / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010510:Periodontal Diseases / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010512:Periodontal Index; D010514:Periodontal Pocket / Q000473:pathology; D011241:Prednisone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012463:Saliva / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D011241:Prednisone; D006854:Hydrocortisone