Serum cytokine and periodontal profiles in relation to disease activity of rheumatoid arthritis in Japanese adults.
BACKGROUND
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and periodontitis are common chronic inflammatory conditions and share many pathologic features. A similar profile of cytokines is involved in the pathogenesis of the two diseases. The relationship between the disease activity of RA and the periodontal condition remains unclear. This study examines whether the disease activity of RA affects serum cytokine and periodontal profiles.


METHODS
The study subjects consisted of 84 Japanese adults with RA and 22 race-matched control individuals. After periodontal and rheumatologic examination, the disease activity of RA was determined with the Disease Activity Score including 28 joints using C-reactive protein (DAS28-CRP). Serum levels of cytokines including interleukin (IL)-1beta, IL-6, IL-12, IL-12 p40, IL-18, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) were determined by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. High-sensitive CRP was also measured with a latex particle-enhanced nephelometric method.


RESULTS
Of 84 patients with RA, 28 and 56 patients exhibited low and moderate to high disease activity, respectively. Serum levels of IL-6, TNF-alpha, and CRP were significantly different between the two groups (P <0.05). Additionally, a significant correlation was observed between DAS28-CRP and percentage of sites with bleeding on probing (BOP) (P = 0.008) and between serum TNF-alpha levels and percentage of sites with BOP (P = 0.01) in 56 patients with RA with moderate to high activity.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that the disease activity of RA correlated with serum levels of IL-6, TNF-alpha, and CRP, and it might influence BOP in the patients with moderate to high disease activity.
Kobayashi
Tetsuo
T
General Dentistry and Clinical Education Unit, Niigata University Medical and Dental Hospital, Niigata, Japan. kotetsuo@dent.niigata-u.ac.jp
Murasawa
Akira
A
Komatsu
Yasutaka
Y
Yokoyama
Tomoko
T
Ishida
Kohei
K
Abe
Asami
A
Yamamoto
Kouji
K
Yoshie
Hiromasa
H
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000097:blood / Q000145:classification*; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood*; D003773:Dental Plaque / Q000097:blood / Q000145:classification; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D005260:Female; D005884:Gingival Hemorrhage / Q000097:blood / Q000145:classification; D006801:Humans; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000097:blood; D053762:Interleukin-12 Subunit p40 / Q000097:blood; D020382:Interleukin-18 / Q000097:blood; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000097:blood; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017622:Periodontal Attachment Loss / Q000097:blood / Q000145:classification; D010514:Periodontal Pocket / Q000097:blood / Q000145:classification; D010518:Periodontitis / Q000097:blood / Q000145:classification*; D012217:Rheumatoid Factor / Q000097:blood; D012218:Rheumatoid Nodule / Q000145:classification; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013997:Time Factors; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000032:analysis
D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; D016207:Cytokines; D053762:Interleukin-12 Subunit p40; D020382:Interleukin-18; D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D015850:Interleukin-6; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D018664:Interleukin-12; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D012217:Rheumatoid Factor