Periodontal findings in systemic lupus erythematosus patients and healthy controls

OBJECTIVES: To compare periodontal findings in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients and healthy controls, and to determine, whether there is a correlation between periodontal parameters and SLE biomarkers. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted in the Faculty of Dentistry, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia between November 2012 and February 2014. Twenty-five participants diagnosed with SLE and 50 healthy controls were selected. Periodontal assessment consisted of clinical attachment level (CAL), probing depth (PD), bleeding on probing, and plaque scores. For the SLE group, several laboratory tests were obtained, such as, white blood cell count, hemoglobin level, platelet count, anti-nuclear antibody, anti-double-stranded DNA antibody, calcium level, and vitamin D. RESULTS: Periodontal findings in SLE patients and controls were not significantly different. The SLE patients who had no flare-ups for more than a year showed significant bleeding on probing and deeper PD compared with those who had flare-ups less than a year before starting the study. The SLE patients with arthritis symptoms showed more CAL than those without arthritis. In the SLE patients, no significant correlation was found between their periodontal findings and SLE biomarkers. CONCLUSION: Periodontal health was not different between SLE patients and healthy controls. In SLE patients however, flare-ups and presence of arthritis had a significant relation with periodontal health.