Association of Anti–Porphyromonas gingivalis Antibody Titers With Nonsmoking Status in Early Rheumatoid Arthritis: Results From the Prospective French Cohort of Patients With Early Rheumatoid Arthritis. Issue 7 (July 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Seror, Raphaèle; Le Gall‐David, Sandrine; Bonnaure‐Mallet, Martine; Schaeverbeke, Thierry; Cantagrel, Alain; Minet, Jacques; Gottenberg, Jacques‐Eric; Chanson, Philippe; Ravaud, Philippe; Mariette, Xavier
• Is Part Of: Arthritis & rheumatology. Volume 67:Issue 7(2015)
• Page Start: 1729
• Page End: 1737
• Publication Date: 2015-07
• Subjects: Arthritis -- Periodicals; Rheumatism -- Periodicals; 616.72
• DOI: 10.1002/art.39118
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2326-5191

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <sec id="art39118-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <title>Objective</title> <p>To investigate the possible link between <italic>Porphyromonas gingivalis</italic> infection and rheumatoid arthritis (RA), according to antibody profile, genetic and environmental factors, and RA severity.</p> </sec> <sec id="art39118-sec-0002" sec-type="section"> <title>Methods</title> <p>For assessing <italic>P gingivalis</italic> infection, serum levels of antibodies directed against <italic>P gingivalis</italic> lipopolysaccharide were measured in 694 patients with early RA who were not exposed to steroids or disease‐modifying antirheumatic drugs. Anti–<italic>P gingivalis</italic> antibody titers were compared between patients with early RA and various control groups, and according to various patient characteristics.</p> </sec> <sec id="art39118-sec-0003" sec-type="section"> <title>Results</title> <p>Anti–<italic>P gingivalis</italic> antibody titers did not significantly differ between patients with RA and controls and did not significantly differ with anti–citrullinated protein antibody (ACPA), rheumatoid factor (RF), or HLA shared epitope status. Anti–<italic>P gingivalis</italic> antibody titers were significantly higher among patients who had never smoked compared to patients who had ever smoked (<italic>P</italic> = 0.0049). Among nonsmokers, high anti–<italic>P gingivalis</italic> antibody levels were associated with a higher prevalence of erosive change (47.5% versus 33.3% with modified Sharp/van der Heijde score erosion subscale ≥1; <italic>P</italic> = 0.0135).</p> </sec> <sec id="art39118-sec-0004" sec-type="section"> <title>Conclusion</title> <p>In this large early RA cohort, we did not detect any association of anti–<italic>P gingivalis</italic> antibodies with RA or with ACPA status. These results suggest that the association of periodontitis and RA could be linked to bacterial species other than <italic>P gingivalis</italic> or to a mechanism other than citrullination. Nevertheless, we found higher anti–<italic>P gingivalis</italic> antibody titers in nonsmokers. In addition, in this population of nonsmokers, high anti–<italic>P gingivalis</italic> antibody titers were associated with more severe disease. We hypothesize that the role of tobacco in RA pathogenesis is so high that the effect of <italic>P gingivalis</italic> could be revealed only in a population not exposed to tobacco.</p> </sec> </abstract>