Chronic periodontitis (CP) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) appear to share many pathologic features. Oxygen metabolism has an important role in the pathogenesis of both CP and RA. The aim of this study is to evaluate the relationship between these two chronic inflammatory diseases with regard to antioxidant and oxidant status.
A total of 80 participants were divided into four groups of 20 each: group RA-CP (patients with RA and CP), group RA (periodontally healthy patients with RA), group CP (systemically healthy patients with CP), and group C (periodontally and systemically healthy volunteers) were included in the study. After assessment of periodontal measurements, gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) samples were taken at one incisor, premolar, and molar tooth and stored with serum samples at -80°C for the antioxidant/oxidant assay.
Although all clinical measurements in groups RA-CP and CP were statistically higher compared to those of C and RA groups (P <0.001), there were no differences between CP and RA-CP groups (P >0.05). GCF total oxidant status (TOS) values of CP and RA-CP groups were higher than those of the RA group (P <0.05). GCF oxidative stress index (OSI) values of the RA-CP group were higher than those of the RA group (P <0.05). There were no differences among the groups in terms of serum TOS and OSI values (P >0.05).
Local OSI values in groups with patients with CP were higher, whereas systemic OSI values showed no difference among the groups. The presence of RA seems not to affect local and systemic OSI values in patients with CP.