Salivary C-reactive protein in relation to periodontal health among a group of patients with rheumatoid arthritis in Iraq

Abstract EN

Background : Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic destructive inflammatory disease associated with destruction of joint connective tissues and bones, affecting 0.5 %-1 % of the population worldwide reporting higher prevalence of periodontitis among rheumatoid arthritis patients.

The purpose of this study is to estimate level of salivary C-reactive protein in relation to the occurrence and severity of the periodontal disease and other oral parameters among group of patients with rheumatoid arthritis Material and methods : Fifty women patients with rheumatoid arthritis ; twenty five on Methotrexate treatment and twenty five on combination treatment of Methotrexate and Etanercept selected as study groups with an age range (30-40) years old and twenty five gender, age and Body Mass Index matched healthy looking persons were selected as control.

The diagnosis and recording of periodontal condition recorded through the application of community periodontal index according to WHO1997.Collection of unstimulated salivary samples was carried out under standard conditions, in addition to estimation of salivary C-reactive protein.

Results : Regarding count of sextants with community periodontal index, median count of sextant with CPI-score 0 was highest among controls (2) and lowest among both rheumatoid arthritis cases (0).The median count of sextant with CPI-score 3 was lowest among controls (0) and highest among both RA cases (2) and the difference observed in median count of sextant with CPI-score 3 between three groups was statistically significant (p < 0.01).The mean rank of salivary C-reactive protein was highest among controls 39.7mg / L However, the difference was not significant between three groups (P > 0.05).

Conclusion : The results of the current research revealed that periodontal diseases were higher among rheumatoid arthritis patients without impact of both treatments on periodontal health without significant role of salivary Creactive protein clinically in assessment of disease activity.