title: Serum cytokine profile among Brazilian children of African descent with periodontal inflammation and sickle cell anaemia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to evaluate possible immunologic relationships between sickle cell anaemia (SCA) and periodontal inflammation and its impact on serum cytokines.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-five Brazilian children of African descent were involved in this study and divided in two groups: SCA (n=10): confirmed diagnosis of homozygous anaemia; and CTR-control (n=15): no sickle anaemia. Clinical examination included comprehensive medical (routine physical evaluation) and periodontal exams: plaque index (PI), bleeding on probing (BoP), and haematological analysis. Serum samples were collected for cytokine evaluation by microarray. Clinical and laboratorial parameters were compared statistically (alpha=5%).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The higher values of PI and BoP were similar for both groups (p>0.05) confirming a diagnosis of generalized gingivitis for all individuals. Intergroup analysis showed higher levels of interferon gamma (IFNγ), tumour necrosis alpha (TNFα), interleukin (IL)-4, -5, -8, -10 and 13 only in the SCA group (p<0.05). In addition, PI was negatively correlated with IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-8 and IL-13, while BoP was positively correlated with IL-10.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Within the limits of the present study, it was concluded that SCA increase the levels of serum cytokines regardless of the presence of periodontal inflammation. Therefore, a direct immunological relationship between SCA and periodontal inflammation was not established.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pathology, Bahian School of Medicine and Public Health, Brazil.
authors.forename: Patricia C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Veiga
authors.forename: Robert J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Schroth
authors.forename: Rosalina
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Guedes
authors.forename: Songeli Meneses
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Freire
authors.forename: Getulio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Nogueira-Filho
mesh_terms: D000755:Anemia, Sickle Cell / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology*; D044383:Black People; D001938:Brazil; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood*; D003774:Dental Plaque Index; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000097:blood; D007378:Interleukins / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D010512:Periodontal Index; D010518:Periodontitis / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology*; D040081:Protein Array Analysis; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D007378:Interleukins; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D007371:Interferon-gamma