The Relationship between Salivary Interleukin 17 with Periodontitis and Diabetes: A Case-control Study

 Periodontitis is a multi-factorial inflammatory disease that begins with the formation of microbial plaque, and its progression and severity are associated with conditions such as diabetes. Due to the relationship between tissue damage and changes in cytokine levels, this study aimed to evaluate the levels of Interleukin-17 (IL-17) in the saliva of patients with chronic periodontitis and type 2 diabetes.

 The study included 80 saliva samples from four groups, each consisting of 20 patients: individuals with periodontitis without diabetes, individuals with diabetes and periodontitis, individuals with diabetes without periodontitis, and a healthy control group without periodontitis. Participants were selected from the patients referred to the periodontology department of the Faculty of Dentistry and the Diabetes Center at Ahvaz University of Medical Sciences. The concentration of IL-17 was measured using the ELISA method. The data were analyzed using analysis of variance and Tukey's test. The correlation between clinical indicators, hemoglobin A1C (HbA1C) levels, and the concentration of Interleukin-17 was assessed using Spearman's correlation test.

 The lowest concentration of IL-17 was observed in healthy individuals without periodontal disease, while the highest concentration was found in diabetic patients with periodontitis (1.5±1.3 and 4.5±1.2 pg/ml, respectively). Salivary levels of interleukin in healthy individuals without diabetes showed a significant difference compared to the other groups. The comparison between the uncontrolled diabetic groups and the non-diabetic and controlled diabetic groups revealed a significant difference in IL-17 concentration (p<0.001 and p=0.001, respectively). There was a direct correlation between clinical parameters, HbA1C level, and IL-17 concentration.

 The association between periodontal disease and diabetes leads to an elevation in the concentration of interleukin-17, which can negatively impact the glycemic control of patients. Therefore, monitoring and treating periodontal disease, which has a chronic inflammatory nature, is recommended in patients with diabetes.