Is the treatment with biological or non-biological DMARDS a modifier of periodontal condition in patients with rheumatoid arthritis?

Background and objective: Experimental models suggest the use of different therapy protocols in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) as modulators on periodontal condition. This study evaluated the effects of conventional drug treatment and anti-TNF therapy in patients with RA on microbiological and periodontal condition, establishing the association of markers of periodontal infection with indexes of rheumatic activity. Materials and methods: One hundred seventy nine individuals with RA were evaluated (62 with anti-TNF-. and 115 with only DMARDs). The periodontal evaluation included plaque and gingival indexes, bleeding on probing (BOP), clinical attachment loss (CAL), pocket depth (PD) and subgingival plaque samples for microbiological analysis. Rheumatologic evaluations included a clinical examination, rheumatoid factor (RF), antibodies against cyclic-citrullinated peptides (ACPAs), and activity markers (DAS28-ERS), high sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR). Results: Anti-TNF-alpha therapy influenced periodontal microbiota with a higher frequency of T. denticola (p=0.01). Methotrexate combined with leflunomide exhibited a higher extension of CAL (p=0.005), and anti-TNF-alpha therapy with methotrexate was associated with a lower extension of CAL (p=0.05). The use of corticosteroids exerted a protective effect on the number of teeth (p=0.027). The type of DMARD affected P. gingivalis, T. forsythia and E. nodatum presence. Elevated ACPAs titers were associated with the presence of red complex periodontal pathogens (p=0.025). Bleeding on probing was associated with elevated CPR levels (p=0.05), and ESR was associated with a greater PD (p=0.044) and presence of red complex (p=0.030). Conclusion: Different pharmacological treatments for RA affect the clinical condition and subgingival microbiota

Biodiversity and spatio-temporal variation of epiphytic diatom assemblage on five Gelidiales (Rhodophyta) from Gran Canaria (Canary Islands, Spain)

The composition and patterns of spatial and season variability of epiphytic diatom assemblages of five intertidal species of Gelidiales (Rhodophyta) from three sampling sites off Gran Canaria (Canary Islands, Atlantic Ocean) were investigated during summer (2007) and winter (2008) seasons using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Dominant species included Cocconeis scutellum var. scutellum, C. scutellum var. posidoniae, Grammatophora oceanica, Lichmophora eherembergi, Navicula sp. and Tabularia fasciculata and these represented 78% of the total diatom assemblage on Gelidiales. Eight of the diatom taxa, Cocconeis maxima, Amphicocconeis debesii, Cocconeis convexa, C. neothumensis var. marina, C. scutellum var. scutellum, C. scutellum var. posidoniae, Gomphonemopsis obscura and Pseudohimantidium pacificum, found in the present study represent new records for the Canary Archipelago. These species showed two distinct patterns of zonation, one in relation to their position at the intertidal area and the other relative to position on the host thalli. Although the vertical distribution of host thalli at the intertidal zone was important when considering the assemblage structure of epiphytic diatoms, the results showed that the cell abundance distribution changed more significantly when considering season rather than spatial distribution. Moreover, even though morphology of host thalli was not a determining factor, their aggregation mode had a significant influence on the abundance and distribution of microalgae. Finally, considering the growth forms of diatom communities, adnate diatoms were more abundant in turf than in clump species

Seven Millennia of Saltmaking. III Congreso Internacional de Antropologia de la Sal

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