Periodontitis associated with the diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus

BACKGROUND: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease that has been linked to the progression of periodontitis, negatively affecting patients' quality of life. Further studies are required to determine the correlation between these conditions and to support the incorporation of periodontal control in patients with SLE. OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to determine the association between periodontitis and the diagnosis of SLE in adult female patients in Peru attending outpatient rheumatology consultations. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted between July and October 2023 and included 342 patients from the Department of Rheumatology of the Regional Teaching Hospital of Trujillo, Peru, and Víctor Lazarte Echegaray Hospital, Trujillo, Peru. Intraand inter-rater calibration for the clinical measurement of periodontitis yielded a κ value of 0.846 in both cases. The rheumatology specialist established the diagnosis of SLE. The χ2 test and binary logistic regression were used to analyze the results, with a significance level set at p < 0.05. RESULTS: No association was found between periodontitis and SLE (p = 0.453). However, correlations were noted between periodontitis and patients aged 27-59 years (p = 0.006), smoking (p = 0.035), systemic medication use (p < 0.001), arterial hypertension (p = 0.018), and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) (p = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS: No association was established between periodontitis and SLE. However, correlations were observed between periodontitis and SLE in specific subgroups, including patients aged 27-59 years, nonsmokers, and those without hypertension or diabetes. Furthermore, a higher prevalence of periodontitis was noted in older patients, smokers, those receiving systemic medication for SLE, and patients with hypertension or T2DM.