Gingival inflammation, increased periodontal pocket depth and elevated interleukin‐6 in gingival crevicular fluid of depressed women on long‐term sick leave

Background and Objective: The aim of this work was to investigate periodontal status, in relation to inflammatory markers and cortisol, in the gingival crevicular fluid and saliva of a homogenous group of women on long‐term sick leave for job‐stress related depression in comparison to nondepressed women. Material and Methods: The participants comprised 20 women with depression (DSM‐IV) (mean age 48.5 ± 6.9 years) and 29 healthy controls (mean age 54.5 ± 2.9 years). Clinical examination was performed. Gingival crevicular fluid was collected by an intracrevicular washing technique. Interleukin‐1β, interleukin‐6, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)‐8 and MMP‐9 were determined with enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay and cortisol was determined by using a radioimmunoassay. One‐way analysis of covariance was used as the statistical method. Results: The depressed patients had significantly higher gingival inflammation ( p < 0.001), and deeper pockets ( p < 0.003), than the healthy controls, after adjusting for age and smoking. The levels of interleukin‐6 in the gingival crevicular fluid were significantly higher in the patients than in the controls: 3.84 ± 1.58 pg per site and 0.79 ± 1.83 pg per site, respectively, p < 0.003. There were no significant differences in the levels of interleukin‐1β, MMP‐8 and MMP‐9. The patients had lower cortisol values in gingival crevicular fluid than the controls, whereas the levels of cortisol in saliva were similar in both groups. Conclusion: Women on long‐term sick‐leave for depression had more severe periodontitis and higher concentrations of interleukin‐6 in gingival crevicular fluid than healthy controls. An alteration of the immune system in these patients might be interpreted as reflecting the consequences of long‐term stress exposure and might contribute to worse periodontal conditions in these particular patients.