Despite a widely recognized bidirectional pathobiologic relationship between rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and periodontal disease, the impact of innovative anti-rheumatic drugs in modulating not only inflammatory and immune articular damage, but also periodontal microenvironment remains debatable. We aimed to evaluate the periodontal status in RA with and without baricitinib, a Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor, and to better describe association between these entities.

We performed a prospective longitudinal 24-weeks study in 21 active RA initiating baricitinib. Standard assessments included a dual rheumatologic (RA activity, disability, serological, inflammatory profile) and dental evaluation comprising plaque index, gingival index, bleeding on probing, probing depth, clinical attachment level.

More than half of RA presented at baseline with chronic periodontitis, as suggested by high prevalence of sites with dental plaque, abnormal bleeding on probing, probing depth and clinical attachment level. Aggressive periodontal disease was reported particularly in disease subsets with excessive inflammatory (serumC reactive protein level) and serologic biomarkers (anti-citrullinated peptide antibodies). Furthermore, significant correlations between dental pathology, disease activity and ACPA levels were also reported (P<0.05). Consistent improvement was noticed in both rheumatoid arthritis characteristics and periodontal status after 24 weeks of baricitinib (P<0.05).

RA, particularly severe active ACPA-positive disease, is basically associated with altered periodontal health. JAK blockade through oral baricitinib may be efficient in patients with active RA and potentially able to modulate the inflammatory process in the periodontal tissue.