Is periodontal disease mediated by salivary BAFF in Sjögren's syndrome?
OBJECTIVE
To correlate the periodontal status of 15 patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome (SS) with their salivary levels of BAFF.


METHODS
The periodontal status of 15 patients who fulfilled the criteria for primary SS was compared with that of 15 controls with xerostomia who did not fulfill the criteria for primary SS but had similar symptoms of dry mouth. The level of BAFF was measured in paired samples of saliva and serum using in-house enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Periodontitis was assessed by the plaque index, the modified gingival index, the papillary bleeding index, and the periodontal pocket depth.


RESULTS
Notwithstanding the better oral hygiene practices of the patients with primary SS compared with those of the xerostomia controls and the subsequent reduction of their plaque index scores, complications of periodontitis, such as bleeding, gingival hypertrophy, and periodontal pockets, were not improved. This failure to ameliorate the complications of periodontitis in patients with primary SS was associated with high levels of BAFF in their saliva compared with the levels in xerostomia controls (7.4 +/- 2.1 versus 1.0 +/- 0.4 ng/ml [P < 0.002]). The levels of BAFF in saliva did not correlate with the levels in sera but did correlate with the periodontal pocket depth (P < 0.002).


CONCLUSIONS
These findings are similar to the bone resorption observed in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. They suggest that the known effect of B cells in periodontitis would be partly mediated by salivary BAFF in patients with primary SS.
Pers
Jacques-Olivier
JO
Brest University Medical School, France.
d'Arbonneau
Frédérique
F
Devauchelle-Pensec
Valérie
V
Saraux
Alain
A
Pennec
Yvon-Louis
YL
Youinou
Pierre
P
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D053264:B-Cell Activating Factor; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003774:Dental Plaque Index; D005260:Female; D005881:Gingiva / Q000473:pathology; D005884:Gingival Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D006984:Hypertrophy; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010510:Periodontal Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D010514:Periodontal Pocket / Q000209:etiology; D010518:Periodontitis / Q000209:etiology; D012463:Saliva / Q000378:metabolism*; D012859:Sjogren's Syndrome / Q000150:complications* / Q000378:metabolism*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism*; D014987:Xerostomia / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism
D053264:B-Cell Activating Factor; D008565:Membrane Proteins; C505719:TNFSF13B protein, human; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha