Diabetes mellitus-associated periodontitis: differences between type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus

Background and Objective: Although many studies have appeared about diabetes mellitus-associated periodontitis, few have compared periodontitis inflammatory markers between type 1 (T1DM) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and information regarding this issue is scarce and contradictory. We evaluated the levels of plasma C-reactive protein and of interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) in gingival crevicular fluid in two groups of subjects affected by T1DM and T2DM, in order to identify possible differences between the two classes in the inflammatory mechanisms of diabetes mellitus-associated periodontitis. Material and Methods: Plasma C-reactive protein and gingival crevicular fluidIL-1 beta, IL-6 and TNF-alpha were measured in periodontitis patients affected by type 1 (P-T1DM, n = 24) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (P-T2DM, n = 24). Results: Gingival crevicular fluid levels of IL-1 beta and TNF-alpha in P-T1DM subjects were significantly higher than in P-T2DM subjects. In P-T1DM subjects, we found significant negative correlations between the duration of diabetes mellitus and IL-1 beta and between the duration of diabetes mellitus and TNF-alpha. Conclusion: This study shows that IL-1 beta and TNF-alpha levels in periodontitis patients with T1DM are affected by the duration of diabetes mellitus.