Association of rheumatoid arthritis disease activity and antibodies to periodontal bacteria with serum lipoprotein profile in drug naive patients

Abstract

<div lang="en" class="abs"><p class="abs_header">Abstract</p><p><em>Objective:</em> We investigated lipid concentrations, particle sizes and antibodies binding to periodontal bacteria <em>Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans</em> and <em>Porphyromonas gingivalis</em> and to malondialdehyde-acetaldehyde (MAA) modified low-density lipoprotein in immunoglobulin (Ig) class A, G and M among patients with newly diagnosed rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in a population-based cohort.</p><p><em>Methods:</em> Concentrations and sizes of lipoprotein particles analysed by proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and antibody levels to MAA modified low-density lipoprotein were studied at baseline and after one-year of follow-up. Serum Ig A and G class antibodies to periodontal bacteria were determined at baseline.</p><p><em>Results:</em> Sixty-three patients were divided into tertiles according to disease activity by disease activity score with 28 joint count and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) (<3.9, 3.9–4.7, >4.7). Small low-density lipoprotein concentration was lowest in the tertile with the highest disease activity. In high-density lipoprotein, the concentrations of total, medium and small particles decreased with disease activity. The particle size in low-density lipoprotein associated with disease activity and the presence of antibodies to P. gingivalis. Ig G and M antibodies to MAA modified low-density lipoprotein correlated with disease activity. Inflammation associated changes faded by one year.</p><p><em>Conclusions:</em> Drug naive RA patients had proatherogenic changes in lipid profiles, but they were reversible, when inflammation diminished.</p></div>