ABSTRACT
@#Introduction: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune inflammatory disease of the joints with the involvement of other systems. Previous studies have demonstrated its association with chronic periodontitis (CP), a chronic inflammatory disease of tooth-supporting tissues. Positive rheumatoid factor (RF) and anti-citrullinated protein antibody (ACPA) in RA patients have been found to be associated with CP. The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of CP in RA patients, and to investigate the association of ACPA, RF status and RA disease activity with CP and non-CP RA patients. Materials and Methods: A comparative cross-sectional study involving 98 RA patients was conducted at Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kubang Kerian, Malaysia. Clinical oral examination was carried out to determine the CP status of RA patients. RF, ACPA and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) were measured, and the 28-joint Disease Activity Score (DAS-28) was assessed. Results: Forty-five patients (45.9%) were found to have CP (95% CI: 0.36-0.56). No significant difference was observed in the prevalence of positive RF (p=0.989) or ACPA (p=0.431) in CP and non-CP RA patients. There was also no significant association between active RA disease (DAS-28 score ≥3.2) and RF positivity in CP (p=0.927) and non-CP (p=0.431) RA patients as well as ACPA positivity in CP (p=0.780) and non-CP (p=0.611) RA patients. Conclusion: In our cohort of RA patients, we did not find significant associations between elevated RF, ACPA, or active RA disease with the presence of CP. There were also no significant associations between elevated RF or ACPA with active RA disease.
ABSTRACT
Objective] To investigate the effect and safety of acupoint catgut embedding therapy on treating rheumatoid arthritis. [Method] Using the randomized controlled method, 87 RA patients were randomly divided into treatment group and control group, the treatment group 45 cases, control group 42 cases. Treatment group with acupuncture point bury line therapy, basic acupoints:Shenshu(BL23), Ganshu(BL18), Dazhu(BL 11),Pishu(BL 20),Geshu(BL 17);With holes according to the patients with lesion to find acupoints. Control group to methotrexate 15 mg per week, folic acid 0.4 mg/qd, prednisone acetate tablets 10 mg/qd, a total of eight weeks after treatment in both groups, evaluation of two groups of patients after treatment of joint disease activity score(DAS-28), long-term efficacy and safety. [Results] At the end of the two groups of patients, treatment after the end of March DAS-28 score was improved significantly, the difference was statistically significant(P0.05 or higher). In six months after the treatment, the treatment way of DAS-28 score<2.6 points in 29 cases, 19 cases in the control group patients DAS-28 score<2.6 points, the long-term clinical curative effect comparison of two groups of patients, the difference was statistically significant(χ2=4.53,P=0.033<0.05), long curative effect in clinical treatment group was better than the control group. The treatment group adverse reactions occurred in 2 cases, control group for 9 cases, two groups of comparisons difference statistically significant(χ2=5.49,P=0.019<0.05), treatment group security was better than the control group. [Conclusion] Acupoint catgut embedding therapy can improve clinical symptoms in patients with RA, and the forward curative effect and adverse reactions were superior to drug therapy, providing more choices for clinical treatment of RA.