Prevalence and Progression of Periodontitis in Ankylosing Spondylitis

The Prevalence and the Progression of Periodontitis in Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS) Patients Versus Non-AS Population

1. Our hypotheses on the relationship between periodontitis and AS are as follows;

   • The prevalence of periodontitis is higher in AS patients group than that of non-AS control group
   • Anti-TNF-α therapy would favorably affect the disease course of periodontitis.

2. Based on our hypotheses, the specific objectives of the present proposal are as follows;

   • The primary objective is to compare the prevalence rate of periodontitis between AS patient group and non-AS group.

   • The secondary objectives will be:

     • To observe the carriage rate of P. gingivalis in AS and non-AS groups
     • To identify clinical parameters associated with the severity of periodontitis in AS group.
     • To compare the progression of periodontitis at weeks 12 and 24 between AS and non-AS groups or between AS patients with and without anti-TNF-α treatment

Inclusion Criteria:

• Age ≥ 18 years
• Subjects giving informed written consent
• In case of AS patients, subjects to meet the 1984 modified New York criteria for AS.
• In case of controls, subjects without a history of inflammatory arthropathy

Exclusion Criteria:

• Subjects having received periodontitis treatment including scaling within 6 months before study participation.
• Subjects with a history of taking antibiotics including prophylactic anti-tuberculosis agents within 3 months before study participation.
• Subjects with a hitory of taking immuno-suppresives (methotrexate, leflunomide, tacrolimus, cyclosporin, or azathioprine) or any dose of glucocorticoids (oral or pareneral) within 3 months before study participation.
• Subjects with a history of diabetes mellitus.
• Subjects with aggressive periodontitis requiring open flap debriment at enrollment immediately.
• Subjects with a hitory of clinical inflammatory bowel disease.
• Subjects with active infection, which can make an influence on the levels of acute phase reactants.
• Subjects with any other condition to render the patient unable to understand the scope of the study or preclude the patient from following the protocol in the physician's opinion.