Association of Systemic Sclerosis and Periodontitis with Vitamin D Levels

• Published in: Nutrients Vol. 13; no. 2; p. 705
• Main Authors: Isola, Gaetano, Palazzo, Giuseppe, Polizzi, Alessandro, Murabito, Paolo, Giuffrida, Clemente, Lo Gullo, Alberto
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 01.02.2021; MDPI
• Subjects: Age; Alfacalcidol; Analysis; C-reactive protein; C-Reactive Protein - analysis; Calcifediol; Calcifediol - blood; Calciferol; Case-Control Studies; Cholesterol; Chronic illnesses; clinical trial; Dental Plaque Index; Diabetes; diet; Female; Gum disease; Humans; Immune system; Inflammation; Laboratories; Lipoproteins; Low density lipoprotein; Low density lipoproteins; Male; Middle Aged; Oral hygiene; Pathogens; Patients; periodontal disease; Periodontal Index; Periodontitis; Periodontitis - blood; Periodontitis - complications; Periodontitis - pathology; Regression Analysis; Rheumatology; Scleroderma; Scleroderma (Disease); Scleroderma, Systemic - blood; Scleroderma, Systemic - complications; Scleroderma, Systemic - pathology; Skin; Systemic scleroderma; Systemic sclerosis; Vitamin D; Vitamin D Deficiency - blood; Vitamin D Deficiency - etiology; Vitamin D Deficiency - pathology; Italy; clinical trial; C-reactive protein; systemic sclerosis; diet; vitamin D; periodontal disease
• ISSN: 2072-6643; 2072-6643
• DOI: 10.3390/nu13020705

The aim of the present study was to analyze the association among systemic sclerosis (SSc), periodontitis (PT); we also evaluated the impact of PT and SSc on vitamin D levels. Moreover, we tested the association with potential confounders. A total of 38 patients with SSc, 40 subjects with PT, 41 subjects with both PT and SSc, and 41 healthy controls were included in the study. The median vitamin D levels in PT subject were 19.1 (17.6-26.8) ng/mL, while SSc + PT group had vitamin d levels of 15.9 (14.7-16.9) ng/mL, significantly lower with respect to SSc patients (21.1 (15.4-22.9) ng/mL) and to healthy subjects (30.5 (28.8-32.3) ng/mL) ( < 0.001). In all subjects, vitamin D was negatively associated with c-reactive protein (CRP) ( < 0.001) and with probing depth (PD), clinical attachment level (CAL), bleeding on probing (BOP), and plaque score (PI) ( < 0.001 for all parameters) and positively related to the number of teeth ( < 0.001). Moreover, univariate regression analysis demonstrated an association among high low-density lipoproteins (LDL) cholesterol ( = 0.021), CRP ( = 0.014), and PT ( < 0.001) and reduced levels of vitamin D. The multivariate regression analysis showed that PT ( = 0.011) and CRP ( = 0.031) were both predictors of vitamin D levels. Subjects with PT and SSc plus PT had significant lower vitamin D values with respect to SSc and to healthy subjects. In addition, PT seems negatively associated with levels of vitamin D in all analyzed patients.