Single Arm Pilot Study of Antimicrobial Treatment of Active Rheumatoid Arthritis Associated With Manifest Periodontitis (Translated From German: Anti-mikrobielle Behandlung Der Aktiven Rheumatoiden Arthritis Bei Manifester Parodontitis - Eine Unkontrollierte Therapie-Pilotstudie)
Single Arm Pilot Study of Antimicrobial Treatment of Active Rheumatoid Arthritis Associated With Manifest Periodontitis (Translated From German: Anti-mikrobielle Behandlung Der Aktiven Rheumatoiden Arthritis Bei Manifester Parodontitis - Eine Unkontrollierte Therapie-Pilotstudie)
The purpose of this study is to determine whether full mouth disinfection in combination with one week antibiotic amoxicillin plus metronidazole antibiotic therapy is improving periodontitis and disease activity of rheumatoid arthritis.
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a currently incurable disease of unknown origin characterized by joint inflammation and the breakdown of immune tolerance to a variety of antigens, including citrullinated peptides generated by peptidyl-arginine-deiminases (PAD's). Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. g.) derived PAD enzyme (PPAD) citrullinates preferentially C-terminal arginine residues, which may be generated by P.g. derived gingipain protein (Rgpb) cleavage, but several of the originated peptide sequences from enolase, collagen, vimentin or fibrinogen may be cross-reactant to citrullinated RA candidate autoantigens.
Antigen-specific autoantibodies in RA may be present years before clinical disease onset of arthritis, and their precise role in the initiation or perpetuation of the characteristic articular immune processes is currently unclear. The situation for autoantibodies was in similar poorly understood for decades until an unanticipated reduction of RA disease activity could be achieved by therapeutic B cell depletion using anti-CD20 therapy. While anti-CD20 therapy may affect the regeneration of autoantibody producing cells, the investigators aim in the present study to reduce potential oral trigger mechanisms or antigens for cross-reactant autoreactive B cell or plasma cell populations. The study follows the concept of improved RA disease activity by minimization of any inflammatory stimuli associated with periodontitis, e.g. by any underlying microbial colonization, the amount of microbial foreign antigens, achieved by standard oral hygienic means, full mouth disinfection plus adjuvant short term antibiotic therapy in established periodontitis.
Inclusion Criteria:
Written informed consent
Age 18 years or older
Diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis according to the ACR/EULAR 2010 classification criteria plus both serological, high titer (>3x ULN) rheumatoid factor and CCP antibody titer
Severe chronic periodontitis (clinical attachment loss >/= 5mm at two separate locations)
DAS 28 > 4.2 at screening and inclusion (within 28 days after screening) and 1 out of two additional disease activity criteria:
Stable doses for >=3 months, if currently under synthetic or recombinant disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs. If under anti-CD20 treatment: last rituximab infusion >90 days before inclusion.
Systemic corticosteroids <= 10 mg and stable for at least 14 days
Nonsteroidal-antirheumatic drugs and peripheral analgesics at stable doses for at least 14 days
Exclusion Criteria: