To determine the expression levels of interleukin-6(IL-6), interleukin-33 (IL-33) and interleukin-10 (IL-10) in gingival crevicular fluid in patients with periodontitis and rheumatoid arthritis, and to investigate the correlation between IL-6, IL-33, IL-10 and periodontitis and rheumatoid arthritis.
According to the inclusion criteria, patients who were admitted to the Department of Stomatology and Rheumatology and Immunology of Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University were selected, including 21 patients with periodontitis (PD group), 21 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA group), and 24 patients with periodontitis combined with rheumatoid arthritis (PD+RA group), 24 healthy patients (H group). General information for each subject was recorded including periodontal probing depth (PPD), clinical attachment loss (CAL), and gingival sulcus bleeding index (SBI). Samples of gingival crevicular fluid were collected from each group, and the contents of IL-6, IL-33 and IL-10 in gingival crevicular fluid were determined by ELISA, and the correlation between IL-6, IL-33, IL-10 and periodontal clinical indicators was analyzed. SPSS 20.0 software package was used to analyze the date.
The expression level of IL-6 in PD+RA group was significantly higher than that in H group, PD group and RA group (P<0.05). The content of IL-33 in PD group, RA group and PD+RA group was significantly higher than that in H group (P<0.05), while the content of IL-33 in PD+RA group was significantly higher than that in RA group (P<0.05). The expression level of IL-10 in the RA group was significantly higher than that in the H group, the PD group and the PD+RA group (P<0.05). PPD in PD group was positively correlated with the contents of IL-6 and IL-33 (r=0.62, 0.43), SBI, PPD and CAL in PD+RA group were positively correlated with the contents of IL-33 (r=0.69, 0.58, 0.55).
The levels of IL-6 and IL-33 in gingival crevicular fluid of patients with periodontitis accompanied by rheumatoid arthritis are significantly increased, while the contents of IL-10 are significantly decreased, suggesting that IL-6, IL-33 and IL-10 play an important role in the occurrence and development of periodontitis and rheumatoid arthritis.