Influence of oral health status and genetic polymorphisms on preterm birth – a preliminary study

Objective: To investigate risk variables related with inflammatory and infectious processes in pregnant women with obstetric complication and its association with oral condition and polymorphisms in a Curitiba Maternal and Child Health Cohort (COOSMIC). Methods: Retrospective cohort study was carried out considering gestational age (preterm and term) in a subsample database of pregnant women of COOSMIC. Saliva samples were collected, and a questionnaire was answered to investigate mother´s and children´s health in the first 1000 days of life. Thirteen single nucleotide polymorphisms in five inflammatory genes (IL4, IL6, IL8, IL17A, IL17RA), were genotyped. Results: Presenting the C allele (IL17RA - rs2241043 C>T) could be considered a risk factor in preterm group with inadequate oral health condition. In opposite, presenting the C allele (rs917864 T/C - IL17RA), associated with adequate oral condition, could be considered a protective aspect in term group. In term group with inadequate oral condition, presenting the T allele for IL6 (rs2069833 C/T) could be considered a risk factor. Conclusions: The oral condition (inadequate/adequate) analyzed with three SNPs proved to be an important indicator of risk or protection in pregnant women with preterm/term deliveries, but these results should be confirmed in other more robust samples to be used as risk markers and thus contribute to the advancement of clinical practices that have an impact on the development of future public health policies in this vulnerable group.