Relationship between interleukin-6 levels in gingival crevicular fluid andperiodontal status in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and adult periodontitis

Background: The aim of this study was to determine and compare interleukin- 6 (IL-6) levels in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) and clinical periodontal findings in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and adult periodontiti s (AP). Methods: A total of 45 patients divided into 3 groups (15 patients with RA and AP, 15 patients with AP, and 15 periodontally healthy subjects) were in cluded in this study. Plaque index (PI), gingival index (GI), sulcus bleedi ng index (SBI), probing depth (PD), and attachment level (AL) values for ea ch patient were recorded. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for quantitativ e detection of IL-6 in each GCF sample was employed. Results: No significant difference could be detected between the RA and AP groups in the mean clinical parameter data except PI. Although the mean GCF IL-6 level in the RA group was the highest, no significant difference coul d be found among the groups. There was only a strong negative correlation b etween GCF IL-6 levels and GI scores in the RA group. Conclusions: In the patients with RA, despite increased local tissue destru ction potential due to autoimmunity and higher PI levels than in the AP pat ients, our findings suggest that medication including corticosteroid and no n-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs may decrease gingival inflammation, but the synthesis and degradation of IL-6 in gingival tissue of RA patients ma y be different. To our knowledge, this study is the first report determinin g GCF IL-6 levels in RA patients.