title: Serum antibody levels against Porphyromonas gingivalis in patients with and without rheumatoid arthritis - a systematic review and meta-analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Since the peptidyl arginine deiminase of Porphyromonas gingivalis is able to citrullinate peptides and proteins, various studies have suggested the species as a possible link between periodontal disease (PD) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). This systematic review including meta-analysis was aimed to evaluate whether differences in terms of antibody titers against P. gingivalis exist between RA patients and systemically healthy individuals with and without PD.
  
  
  METHODS
  The following focused question was addressed: Are the antibody titers against P. gingivalis of RA patients different from systemically healthy individuals with and without PD? A systematic data search was conducted in MEDLINE and EMBASE. The collected data underwent a meta-analysis to detect statistically significant differences in terms of antibody levels between the groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  From 114 articles found by the search 13 articles met the inclusion criteria and provided data suitable for meta-analysis. After analyzing various levels of confinement the meta-analysis revealed a statistically significant higher antibody titer against P. gingivalis in patients suffering from RA in comparison with systemically and periodontally healthy controls (p < 0.01) and systemically healthy patients with PD (p < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present findings indicate that RA is often accompanied by the presence of an immune response against P. gingivalis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The significantly higher antibody response to P. gingivalis in comparison to systemically healthy individuals supports the link between PD and RA by P. gingivalis. Screening of the regularly taken blood samples of RA patients for P. gingivalis antibodies may help to sensitize rheumatologists and RA patients for improving periodontal health.
authors: Department of Periodontology, School of Dental Medicine, University of Bern, Freiburgstrasse 7, -3010, Bern, CH, Switzerland.
authors: Philip
authors: P
authors: Bender
authors: Ressort Research, University of Bern, School of Dental Medicine, Bern, Switzerland.
authors: Walter B
authors: WB
authors: Bürgin
authors: Department of Periodontology, School of Dental Medicine, University of Bern, Freiburgstrasse 7, -3010, Bern, CH, Switzerland.
authors: Anton
authors: A
authors: Sculean
authors: Department of Periodontology, School of Dental Medicine, University of Bern, Freiburgstrasse 7, -3010, Bern, CH, Switzerland. sigrun.eick@zmk.unibe.ch.
authors: Sigrun
authors: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4619-2461
authors: S
authors: Eick
mesh_terms: D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology*; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D016966:Porphyromonas gingivalis / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D015415:Biomarkers
keywords: Periodontal disease; Porphyromonas gingivalis; Rheumatoid arthritis; Serum antibody levels