IADR Abstract Archives
Salivary IL-1 Beta and Oral Ulcers in Behcet’s Disease
Objectives: Behcet’s Disease (BD) is a condition with one of its manifestations as painful oral ulceration. This study evaluated the association of oral mucosal lesions and salivary IL-1 levels in patients with BD and response to an IL-1 receptor antagonist (RA). We hypothesized that decreased IL-1 salivary levels would be associated with reduction in oral ulcers.
Methods: A convenience sample of patients with Behcet’s Disease (n = 27) were evaluated during and following flare and whole saliva specimens collected and analyzed for the cytokine IL-1 beta. A subset of patients were treated with an IL-1 RA in a dose-escalation open-label pilot study.
Results: Paired saliva samples were available for 16 subjects; 37.5 % of these subjects exhibited reduced salivary IL-1 and numbers of oral ulcers with resolution of flare. Subjects treated with an IL-1 RA had significantly more ulcer-free days at a 200 mg dose (p < 0.001).
Conclusions: Although the majority of studies of cytokine levels in BD have focused on uveitis, a few studies have shown an association of cytokines, including IL-1 alpha and beta, in saliva of BD patients with active oral lesions. BD patients treated with an IL-1 RA had lower salivary IL-1 beta levels and fewer oral ulcers. To our knowledge this is the only study to demonstrate the association with IL-1 beta salivary levels and ulcer response with treatment using an IL-1 RA.
Methods: A convenience sample of patients with Behcet’s Disease (n = 27) were evaluated during and following flare and whole saliva specimens collected and analyzed for the cytokine IL-1 beta. A subset of patients were treated with an IL-1 RA in a dose-escalation open-label pilot study.
Results: Paired saliva samples were available for 16 subjects; 37.5 % of these subjects exhibited reduced salivary IL-1 and numbers of oral ulcers with resolution of flare. Subjects treated with an IL-1 RA had significantly more ulcer-free days at a 200 mg dose (p < 0.001).
Conclusions: Although the majority of studies of cytokine levels in BD have focused on uveitis, a few studies have shown an association of cytokines, including IL-1 alpha and beta, in saliva of BD patients with active oral lesions. BD patients treated with an IL-1 RA had lower salivary IL-1 beta levels and fewer oral ulcers. To our knowledge this is the only study to demonstrate the association with IL-1 beta salivary levels and ulcer response with treatment using an IL-1 RA.