The effect of chronic periodontitis on serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha in Alzheimer disease

BACKGROUND Despite the outbreak in dental science, oral and dental complications in Alzheimer are of the unsolved problems. It is assumed that tumor necrosis factor-α, which is a key factor in Alzheimer, has a relation with periodontal complications in patients with Alzheimer disease. The present study evaluated the effect of chronic periodontitis on serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-α in Alzheimer disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS This case-control study was performed on 80 patients with Alzheimer disease seeking medical care at Nour Hospital, Isfahan, Iran. Eighty patients with Alzheimer disease between 40 and 70 years old attended this study. Forty had chronic periodontitis (case group), and 40 patients had healthy periodontium (control group). Blood sample was taken, and serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-α were measured by means of an ELISA Reader device. Independent T-Test was used to analyze data, and P < 0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS The mean of tumor necrosis factor-α was 749.1 ng/μL in case group and 286.8 ng/μL in control group. Independent t-test showed that the mean of tumor necrosis factor-α in patients with Alzheimer and periodontitis was approximately three folds higher than the patients only with Alzheimer, and this difference was statistically significant (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION According to the results of this study, it seems that there is a difference between serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-α in patient with Alzheimer and chronic periodontitis and patients with Alzheimer disease and healthy periodontium. Tumor necrosis factor-α level in serum may act as a diagnostic marker of periodontal disease in patients with Alzheimer disease.