Objective:

To investigate the impact of anti-TNF and anti-IL-12/23 therapies on periodontal health and IL-6 levels in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Approach:

• Study Design: Cross-sectional, hypothesis-generating study involving 45 IBD patients stratified into three groups based on biological therapy: anti-TNF, anti-IL-12/23, and a control group.
• Assessment Methods: Periodontal status was evaluated using the Periodontal Screening Index (PSI), and IL-6 levels in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) were measured using ELISA.

Key Findings:

• 16 patients exhibited known or previously undiagnosed periodontitis, with variability in severity.
• Patients receiving anti-IL-12/23 therapy had lower mean and maximal PSI scores compared to those receiving anti-TNF therapy.
• No sextants with advanced periodontal inflammation were detected in the anti-IL-12/23 group.
• IL-6 levels in GCF were significantly lower in the anti-IL-12/23 group compared to controls.

Interpretation:

IL-12/23 blockade may be associated with reduced periodontal inflammation and local IL-6 activity in IBD patients.

Limitations:

• The cross-sectional design limits the ability to infer causality.
• The small sample size may affect the generalizability of the findings.

Conclusion:

The study provides a basis for further longitudinal investigations into the effects of cytokine-targeted biologic therapy on the oral-gut immune axis.