Relationship Between Disease Characteristics and Oral Radiologic Findings in Systemic Sclerosis: Results From a...

Area of Science:

• Rheumatology
• Oral Medicine
• Radiology

Background:

• Systemic sclerosis (SSc), also known as scleroderma, is a connective tissue disease characterized by fibrosis, vascular dysfunction, and immune dysregulation.
• Radiographic abnormalities, including widened periodontal ligament (PDL) spaces and mandibular erosions, have been anecdotally associated with SSc.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the clinical correlates of radiologic abnormalities, specifically widened PDL and mandibular erosions, in patients with Systemic Sclerosis.
• To determine the association between these oral findings and disease severity, subset, and specific autoantibodies in SSc patients.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of 159 SSc patients from the Canadian Scleroderma Research Group underwent detailed radiologic examinations.
• Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to examine associations between radiologic findings (widened PDL, mandibular erosions) and clinical manifestations of SSc, adjusting for relevant covariates.

Main Results:

• Widened PDL was observed in 38% of subjects, and 14.5% had mandibular erosions.
• A significant association was found between the number of teeth with widened PDL and SSc disease severity (Physician Global Assessment).
• Smaller interdental distance was associated with a greater number of mandibular erosions, independent of disease severity.

Conclusions:

• Widened PDL in SSc may be a manifestation of generalized collagen overproduction, a hallmark of the disease.
• Mandibular erosions in SSc patients appear to be related to local factors within the oral cavity, rather than systemic disease severity.