title: Anti-TNF-alpha immunotherapy is associated with increased gingival inflammation without clinical attachment loss in subjects with rheumatoid arthritis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Because periodontitis presents many similarities with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with regard to tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha)-induced bone resorption, the benefits of TNF-alpha blockade in RA prompted us to determine its efficacy in treating coexisting periodontitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Periodontal status was evaluated in 40 subjects with RA who were divided into two groups: Group I contained 20 subjects who had received infliximab every 6 weeks for > or =22 months at the time of periodontal evaluation. The 20 subjects in group II were evaluated before their first infusion with infliximab. Nine subjects in group II had periodontitis. These subjects were reevaluated after they received nine infusions of infliximab.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Infliximab tended to aggravate gingival inflammation as indicated by differences in the modified gingival and papillary bleeding indices between subjects in groups I and II with coexisting periodontitis before and after treatment. Methotrexate had no effect on periodontal status. Although the plaque index revealed that bacterial infection persisted, the probing depth was equal in groups I and II and equivalent before and after treatment in subjects with periodontitis, whereas attachment loss was decreased after infliximab treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Inflammation and destruction constitute two interrelated yet separate components of periodontitis in patients with RA. Therefore, TNF-alpha blockade could be beneficial in the treatment of periodontitis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dentistry, Brest University Medical and Dental School, Brest, France.
authors.forename: Jacques-Olivier
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Pers
authors.forename: Alain
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Saraux
authors.forename: Roselyne
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pierre
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Youinou
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003774:Dental Plaque Index; D005260:Female; D005884:Gingival Hemorrhage / Q000503:physiopathology; D005891:Gingivitis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D000069285:Infliximab; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D017622:Periodontal Attachment Loss / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010512:Periodontal Index; D010514:Periodontal Pocket / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D010518:Periodontitis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D012907:Smoking; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D000069285:Infliximab; D008727:Methotrexate