02788nas a2200469   4500000000100000008004100001260000900042653001500051653001000066653000900076653002500085653002000110653001400130653002500144653001100169653001100180653002100191653002100212653001800233653001900251653001800270653001200288653000900300653001600309653002900325653001500354653002100369653003000390653003200420653001600452100001300468700001400481700001500495700001700510700001300527700001100540245016700551300001100718490000700729520156800736022001402304       2010                            d  c201010aAdolescent10aAdult10aAged10aCase-Control Studies10aChronic Disease10aCytokines10aDental Pulp Diseases10aFemale10aHumans10aHypersensitivity10aInterferon-gamma10aInterleukin-110aInterleukin-1010aInterleukin-610aleprosy10aMale10aMiddle Aged10aPeriapical Periodontitis10aRecurrence10aReference Values10aStatistics, Nonparametric10aTumor Necrosis Factor-alpha10aYoung Adult1 aMotta AC1 aFurini RB1 aSimão JCL1 aFerreira MAN1 aKomesu M1 aFoss N00aThe recurrence of leprosy reactional episodes could be associated with oral chronic infections and expression of serum IL-1, TNF-alpha, IL-6, IFN-gamma and IL-10.  a158-640 v213 a<p>The aim of this study was to determine whether the presence of leprosy reactional episodes could be associated with chronic oral infection. Thirty-eight leprosy patients were selected and divided into 2 groups: group I - 19 leprosy patients with oral infections, and group II - 19 leprosy patients without oral infections. Ten patients without leprosy, but presenting oral infections, were assigned to the control group. Leprosy patients were classified according to Ridley and Jopling classification and reactional episodes of the erythema nodosum type or reversal reaction were identified by clinical and histopathological features associated with serum IL-1, TNF-alpha, IL-6, IFN-gamma and IL-10 levels. These analyses were performed immediately before and 7 days after the oral infection elimination. Patients from group I presenting oral infections reported clinical improvement of the symptoms of reactional episodes after dental treatment. Serum IL-1, TNF-alpha, IL-6, IFN-gamma and IL-10 levels did not differ significantly before and after dental treatment as determined by the Wilcoxon test (p>0.05). Comparison of the 2 groups showed statistically significant differences in IL-1 and IL-6 at baseline and in IL-1, IL-6 and IL-10 on the occasion of both collections 7 days after therapy. Serum IL-6 and IL-10 levels in group I differed significantly at baseline compared to control (Mann-Whitney test; p<0.05). These results suggest that oral infection could be involved as a maintenance factor in the pathogenesis of leprosy reactional episodes.</p>  a1806-4760