Evaluation of periodontal status in rheumatoid arthritis patients treated with tnf blockers

Periodontal diseases and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are common chronic inflammatory disease and these conditions have similar clinical and pathologic features. Previously studies suggested that similar profiles of cytokine and their coding proteins are involved in the pathogenesis of periodontitis and RA. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of drugs used to treat RA on periodontal and biochemical parameters. A total number of 300 individuals of which 100 are patients with RA and use TNF blockers, 100 are patients with RA and use disease modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) and 100 are systemic healty control group participated in our study. Plaque index (PI), gingival index (GI), bleeding on probing (BOP), probing depth (PD), clinical atachment level (CAL) were measured, TNF-a levels from saliva tests were determined. 8 patients in TNF blockers group, 11 patients in DMARD group and 23 patients in control group were diagnosed as chronic periodontitis. PD and CAL were statistically significant in the control group compared to the groups of RA, but PI, GI and BOP were not statistically significant in the comparison between groups. When the TNF-a levels were evaluated there was no statistically significant in the comparisons between groups although TNF blockers group in at least. In light of our study, the drugs used to treat RA can impact on the host response of periodontitis. However, randomized controlled multicentre studies are needed in this area.