Relationship between periodontal parameters and plasma cytokine profiles in pregnant woman with preterm birth or low birth weight

Objectives: The aim was to determine whether clinical periodontal parameters are associated with plasma anti- and/or pro-inflammatory cytokines in pregnant woman with preterm birth (PB) or low birth weight (LBW) neonates.

Materials and methods: An observational case-control study was performed in 131 puerperal women: mothers of PB/LBW neonates (cases, n = 67) and mothers of full-term normal-weight neonates (controls, n = 64). Sociodemographic and periodontal data was gathered from all participants, and interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-17, IL-23, and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) were determined in plasma.

Results: In multiple linear regression models, clinical attachment loss was associated with TNF-α (0.28 ± 0.14; 95% confidence interval (CI) [0.006, 0.553]) and IL-1β (0.43 ± 0.21; 95%CI [0.018, 0.842]), independent of group membership. IL-1β (-1.67 ± 0.27, 95%CI [-2.199, -1.141]), IL-6 (-0.86 ± 0.27; 95%CI [-1.389, -0.331]), and IL-8 (-3.84 ± 0.50, 95%CI [-4.820, -2.860]) were lower, and IL-10 (0.86 ± 0.26; 95%CI [0.350, 1.370]) was higher in cases versus controls after adjusting for potential confounders.

Conclusions: Clinical attachment loss was associated with plasma TNF-α and IL-1β levels. No plasma cytokine profiles suggestive of systemic inflammatory response were observed in the pregnant women with PB/LBW neonates.

Clinical relevance: Clinical attachment loss, as the main periodontal measure, is associated with TNF-α and IL-1β plasma levels in pregnant women. No relationship was found between PB/LBW and the markers of systemic inflammatory response assessed in this study.