Treatment resistance of rheumatoid arthritis relates to infection of periodontal pathogenic bacteria: a case-control cross-sectional study

Recent studies have shown that periodontitis is associated with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and periodontal bacteria, such as Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans (Aa) and Porphyromonas gingivalis (Pg) are involved in the pathogenesis of RA via citrullinated proteins. Smoking has also been shown to be involved in the pathogenesis of RA; however, the extent of this involvement is still poorly understood. In addition, RA and polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) are sometimes difficult to differentiate; however, the relationship between PMR and the factors from smoking and periodontal bacteria is unclear. The aim of this study was to clarify the relationship between periodontal pathogenic bacterial infections and smoking in patients with RA or PMR. This case-control study included 142 patients with untreated RA or PMR. This study evaluated the serum antibody titers against periodontal pathogenic bacterial antigens and an anti-citrullinated peptide antibody (ACPA). In patients with RA, the relationship between antibody titers and disease activity of RA and response after 3 months of treatment was also investigated. Additionally, the effects of smoking were evaluated. Although there was no significant difference in serum antibody titer against periodontal pathogenic bacteria between the ACPA-positive RA group and the ACPA-negative PMR group, we found an association between the elevated antibody titer against Pg and the degree of ACPA value, especially between negative group and high-value positive group (>= 100 U/mL). The antibody titers against Aa and Pg did not differ depending on disease activity score 28 (DAS28) at baseline; however, patients with high antibody titers had poor RA therapeutic response as judged by DAS28 after 3 months. We could not find any association between smoking and any of these parameters. Periodontal pathogenic bacteria, especially Pg, are associated with elevated ACPA levels. Our findings suggest that Pg and Aa infections interfere with the therapeutic response of RA

Estimation of periodontal pocket surface area in small to medium dogs: a proof-of-concept study

Background Periodontal disease is the most common dental disease in dogs. Although the systemic effects of periodontal disease have not been clarified in veterinary science, it is necessary to evaluate the effects of periodontal disease in clinical trials in the future. There have been a few clinical attempts made, however, to assess the severity of periodontal inflammation and its impact on the systemic health of dogs. Meanwhile, in the field of dentistry for humans, the periodontal inflamed surface area (PISA) and periodontal epithelial surface area (PESA) have been used to quantitatively assess the degree of periodontal disease affecting a single tooth as well as the overall extent of periodontitis. Recent studies have also suggested the use of these assessments to examine the relationship between periodontal inflammation and systemic health. Results The estimation formula for a dog's periodontal pocket surface area (PPSA), an alternative to PISA and PESA in humans, was established using body weight and periodontal pocket depth. Actual values were measured using extracted teeth from various dog breeds and sizes (2.3-25.0 kg of body weight) to obtain universal regression equations for PPSA. Altogether, 625 teeth from 73 dogs of 16 breeds were extracted and subsequently analyzed for morphological information. PPSA was measured in 61 dogs of 10 breeds with periodontal disease using the established estimation formulas, and the correlation between PPSA and preoperative blood chemistry data was analyzed accordingly. A strong correlation was found between PPSA and serum globulin (r = 0.71) while moderate correlations were found for C-reactive protein (r = 0.54) and serum albumin (r = -0.51). Conclusions Estimation formulas using body weight and the 6-point probing depth were established for determining PPSA. Direct correlations between PPSA and several blood test results were observed in the study sample. Taken together, these results suggest that PPSA could be useful for evaluating the effects of periodontitis on systemic conditions in dogs