Evaluation of Serum Levels of Cytokines in Acute Apical Abscess: A Longitudinal Observational Study.

INTRODUCTION: Cytokine levels are related to the aethiopathogenia of acute apical abscesses (AAA); however, the specific cytokine profiles in these cases are unclear. This study aimed to investigate the changes in systemic cytokine levels in patients with AAA and trismus onset, postantibiotic treatment, and postroot canal disinfection. METHODS: In total, 46 AAA patients with trismus and 32 control subjects were included. After seven days of antibiotic therapy, root canal disinfection was performed in the AAA patients. The serum levels of cytokines were evaluated at basal, seven, and 14 days after endodontic treatment. Quantification of cytokines from T helper (Th) 1, Th2, Th17, and regulatory T cells profiles was determined using the BioPlex MagPix system, and the obtained data were analyzed using SPSS statistical software (P < .05). RESULTS: AAA patients showed higher tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin (IL) -6, and IL-10 levels than control subjects, at basal measurement (P < .05); there were similar levels of interferon gamma, IL-1ß, IL-4, and IL-17 between groups (P > .05). IL-6 and IL-10 levels decreased after antibiotic treatment (P < .05), which was also associated with clinical improvement in patients with AAA and trismus. Patients with AAA had a positive correlation with higher serum levels of IL-6 and IL-10. In addition, TNF-α levels decreased only after antibiotic and endodontic treatment. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, patients with AAA had increased systemic serum levels of TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-10. Moreover, increased levels of IL-6 and IL-10 are associated with acute inflammatory symptoms. However, IL-6 and IL-10 levels decreased after antibiotic treatment, while TNF-α levels decreased after antibiotic and endodontic treatment.

TNFSF13B rs9514828 gene polymorphism and soluble B cell activating factor levels: Association with apical periodontitis.

AIM: The aim of this case-control study was to evaluate the association between the TNFSF13B rs9514828 (-871 C > T) polymorphism and soluble BAFF (sBAFF) in apical periodontitis (AP) patients. METHODOLOGY: Two hundred and sixty one healthy subjects (HS) and 158 patients with AP classified as: 46 acute apical abscess (AAA), 81 primary AP (pAP) and 31 secondary AP (sAP) patients were included. Genomic DNA (gDNA) was extracted from peripheral blood cells according to the salting out method. The TNFSF13B rs9514828 (NC_000013.11:g.108269025C > T) were identified using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) followed by restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLP). Serum sBAFF levels were measured by ELISA test. The chi-squared or Fisher's exact test was performed. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were calculated to evaluate the risk of AP associated with the rs9514828. The Mann-Whitney U test and Kruskal-Wallis analysis were used for non-normally distributed data. Differences were considered significant with a p-value <.05. RESULTS: No differences in the genotype/allele frequencies were shown between HS and patients with AAA. However, the TT genotype (OR = 2.68, 95% CI: 1.10-6.53; p = .025) and T allele (OR = 1.46, 95% CI: 1.00-2.12; p = .045) were associated with increased risk of pAP. In contrast, the minor allele T significantly decreased the risk of sAP (OR = 0.49, 95% CI: 0.024-0.99; p = .043). sBAFF serum levels were increased in AAA and pAP compared with HS (p < .01 and p = .021, respectively). The AAA patients had higher sBAFF serum levels than pAP (p = .034) and sAP (p < .01). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that the TNFSF13B rs9514828 (-871 C > T) polymorphism is associated with pAP susceptibility and that BAFF is a cytokine that might be involved in acute and chronic AP. The future exploration of the rs9514828 polymorphism in other AP cohorts is recommended.