Author name: Dr. Major (Rtd) Nargis Ara Siddiqui

Several limitations should be acknowledged in our study. First, a case-control design conducted in a hospital setting may introduce selection bias. The admission rate for the target disease could be influenced by the presence or absence of the studied exposure factors. Second, information bias is unavoidable and causality cannot be established. Third, we did not […]

This study provides evidence that patients with RA + PD have more severe dental-related issues compared to patients with RA alone. Additionally, we observed positive correlations between dental-related measures (PPD and GI) and the presence of A actinomycetemcomitans. Similar relationships were also found for RA-related measures (hs-CRP, DAS28, RF concentration, anti-CCP, and ACPA).

Furthermore, the presence of A actinomycetemcomitans in the periodontal pocket is associated with high citrullination in the gingiva. The leukotoxin produced by A actinomycetemcomitans can directly stimulate neutrophils in PD, leading to the release of highly citrullinated components. Upon stable colonisation in the gingival sulcus, which is the natural space between the teeth and the surrounding gingival tissue, actinomycetes