Periodontal microbioma and rheumatoid arthritis: The role of Porhyromonas gingivalis.

Rheumatoid Arthritis is a disease, which can be described as an autoimmune response after molecular mimicry caused by infective agents. The current study aims at evaluating the correlation between Rhematoid Arthritis (RA) and Periodontal Disease (PD), with special attention to the microbioma detected in the gums. Thirty-four patients with RD were recruited into the current study. Among rheumatic parameters, Rheumatoid Factor (RF), anti-citrullinated protein antibody (CCP), HLA-BDR1 and DAS28 were collected. A dental clinician evaluated the periodontal screening record (PSR). Afterwards, 1 paper cone was inserted for 30 seconds into the gingival sulcus then sent to the laboratory for evaluation. Quantitative PCR of 16S rRNA genes was performed with the hydrolysis probes method to identify and evaluate the amount Porphyromonas gingivalis, Tannerella forsythensis, Treponema denticola, Fusobacterium nucleatum and Campylobacter rectus. There were no statistical differences in the composition of oral microbioma between PSR groups. There were no statistical significant differences between bacterial loads and serum values. On the contrary, a positive correlation was found between the presence of Porphyromonas gingivalis in periodontal pockets on one side and RF and CCP on the other. Therefore, the presence of Porhyromonas gingivalis in periodontal pockets is associated to RA inflammatory indices.

[Accentuated and irregular post-maximal deflection in thromboelastographic tracings: occurrence in various pathologies]. / Accentuata ed irregolare deflessione post-massimale nei tracciati tromboelastografici: incidenza in varie patologie.

The increased and irregular post-maximal deflection of the two limbs of thromboelastographic traces has been variably interpreted by the Authors who utilize TEG as a global screening test for haemostasis evaluation. These thromboelastographic patterns have been attributed either to enhanced fibrinolytic activity or to raised clot's rectractility or even to incorrect technique. In our study, 1701 TEG's traces carried out in the last five years have been reviewed in order to evaluate the incidence of such patterns in both healthy subjects and in patients affected by different diseases. The data obtained show that such irregular post-maximal deflection's patterns are quite absence in healthy subjects while reaches a statistically significant incidence only in patients affected by diabetes mellitus, obesity or systemic hypertension. The results seem to suggest that the increased and irregular post-maximal TEG deflection is not a simply product of technique's mistake but may represent an useful index of some haemostatic alterations which need further studies.

[Changes in mean erythrocyte volume and 2,3-diphosphoglycerate in two groups of diabetic subjects]. / Comportamento del volume medio eritrocitario e del 2-3,difosfoglicerato in due gruppi di soggetti diabetici.

Mean corpuscular volume and Red Blood Cell 2-3, diphosphoglycerate in insulin dependent diabetics and in non insulin dependent diabetics were evaluated. Only in insulin dependent diabetics an increased mean corpuscular volume was found while in non insulin dependent diabetics red blood cell 2-3, DPG level appears to be reduced. These findings were not correlated with the metabolic parameters neither they seemed to be dependent upon sex, age or vascular disease. The Authors suggest that the increase of mean corpuscular volume might be indicative of a tendency to macromegaloblastosis in insulin dependent diabetics; with regard to RBC 2-3, DPG level it seems to be extremely variable in dependence on oxygen request at the tissue level.