title: Reduction in alveolar bone density of patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the alveolar bone density (ABD) in the upper first molars of patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) and to compare their ABD with that of healthy controls. Secondary objectives included the evaluation of the influence of medication and rheumatic disease activity on ABD, in addition to the correlation between ABD and periodontal and rheumatologic clinical parameters.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study assessed 16 patients with JIA (six boys and 10 girls; mean age, 16.2 ± 2 years) and 11 controls (six boys and five girls; mean age, 16.4 ± 2.1 years). Probing depth (PD), visible plaque index, gingival bleeding on probing (GBP), and the clinical insertion level (CIL) were recorded. Bite-wing radiographs were obtained and ABD was measured in the upper molars by use of the Kodak RVG 6100 Digital Radiography System.
  
  
  RESULTS
  ABD, the percentage of sites with PD > 4 mm, and GBP were significantly lower in patients with JIA than in controls (P = 0.001; P = 0.019; P = 0.011, respectively). ABD was influenced by neither medication nor JIA activity, and showed no correlation with periodontal and rheumatologic clinical parameters.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ABD was lower in patients with JIA and seemed to be influenced by neither medication nor rheumatic disease activity. In addition, no correlation was observed between ABD and periodontal and rheumatologic clinical parameters.
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro.
authors.forename: Tânia Lúcia de Oliveira
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Flávia Silva Farah Ferreira
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Braga
authors.forename: Flavio Roberto
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Sztajnbok
authors.forename: Alessandra Areas E
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Souza
authors.forename: Fernanda de Brito
authors.initials: Fde B
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Ricardo Guimarães
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Fischer
authors.forename: Carlos Marcelo da Silva
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Figueredo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D016301:Alveolar Bone Loss / Q000209:etiology*; D001171:Arthritis, Juvenile / Q000150:complications*; D015519:Bone Density; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male