Evaluation of periodontal status and interleukin levels in pregnant women with HELLP syndrome

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes and low platelet (HELLP) syndrome is a pregnancy-specific disease that affects many systems of the body. Its etiopathogenesis has not been fully elucidated. HELLP syndrome is characterized by hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, and low platelet counts. It has a prevalence of 0.2%-0.8% in pregnant women. This study aimed to compare periodontal status as well as interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-37 levels in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) of healthy pregnant women and pregnant women with HELLP syndrome.

METHODS: This study included 20 patients with HELLP and 20 healthy pregnant women. The clinical periodontal parameters [plaque index (PI), gingival index (GI), bleeding on probing (BOP), probing depth (PD), clinical attachment level (CAL)] were recorded and GCF samples were collected. IL-6 and IL-37 levels were measured in GCF samples using the enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method. The data collected from healthy pregnant women and patients with HELLP were compared with statistical analysis.

RESULTS: There was no statistically significant difference between healthy pregnant women and pregnant women with HELLP in terms of periodontal clinical parameters. There was a statistically significant difference in terms of IL-6 levels (P < 0.05); however, no statistically significant difference was determined in terms of IL-37 levels in GCF.

CONCLUSION: This is the first study to evaluate periodontal status as well as IL-6 and IL-37 levels in GCF in pregnant women with HELLP syndrome. The results of the study showed that IL-6 levels were significantly higher in pregnant women with HELLP syndrome, but there was no significant difference in terms of other parameters. Further research is needed to evaluate the relationship between HELLP syndrome and periodontal disease.