Rheumatoid arthritis and salivary biomarkers of periodontal disease

Abstract

Mirrielees J, Crofford LJ, Lin Y Kryscio RJ, Dawson DR, Ebersole JL, Miller CS. Rheumatoid arthritis and salivary biomarkers of periodontal disease. J Clin Periodontol 2010; doi: 10.1111/j.1600‐051X.2010.01625.x. Abstract Aim: To test the hypothesis that rheumatoid arthritis (RA) influenced levels of salivary biomarkers of periodontal disease. Methods: Medical assessments, periodontal examinations and pain ratings were obtained from 35 RA, 35 chronic periodontitis and 35 age‐ and gender‐matched healthy controls in a cross‐sectional, case–controlled study. Unstimulated whole saliva samples were analysed for interleukin‐1β (IL‐1β), matrix metalloproteinase‐8 (MMP‐8) and tumour necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α) concentrations. Results: The arthritis and healthy groups had significantly less oral disease than the periodontitis group (PP=0.012). Salivary levels of MMP‐8 and IL‐1β were significantly elevated in the periodontal disease group (Pβ was the only biomarker with significantly higher levels in the arthritis group compared with controls (P=0.002). Arthritis patients receiving anti‐TNF‐α antibody therapy had significantly lower IL‐1β and TNF‐α levels compared with arthritis patients not on anti‐TNF‐α therapy (P=0.016, 0.024) and healthy controls (PP=0.011), respectively. Conclusion: RA patients have higher levels of periodontal inflammation than healthy controls, i.e., an increased BOP. Systemic inflammation appears to influence levels of select salivary biomarkers of periodontal disease, and anti‐TNF‐α antibody‐based disease‐modifying therapy significantly lowers salivary IL‐1β and TNF‐α levels in RA.