Background: Interleukin (IL)-10 is an anti-inflammatory cytokine. The protective role of this cytokine against different diseases has been demonstrated in several studies. However, no such study has been carried out on gingivitis. The objective of this study was to determine whether differences exist between Caucasian children with and without gingivitis in the distribution of IL-10 alleles at position –1082.

Methods: A total of 260 Caucasian children (86 controls, 174 patients), aged 8 to 12 years, from the University Dental Hospital of Manchester, U.K., were examined. Plaque (PI), calculus (CI), gingival (GI), and bleeding on probing (BOP) indices were used to assess gingival health. DNA was obtained from buccal epithelial cells. Amplification refractory mutation system polymerase chain reaction (ARMS-PCR) was used for genotyping IL-10 polymorphism. Chi square tests were carried out to test the association between allele and genotype frequencies and the severity of gingivitis. Multiple logistic regression was used to determine the role of IL-10 gene polymorphism at position –1082 while adjusting for potential confounders such as plaque, age, and gender.

Results: Gingivitis was present in 67% of the children examined. Frequencies of alleles –1082*A and –1082*G were 45% and 55%, respectively. An increased risk of having gingivitis was found in allele A positive children (G/A, A/A); 75% versus 25% in allele A negative children (G/G); (P = 0.01). The –1082*A allele was significantly more common in children with gingivitis; 49% versus 37% in controls (P = 0.01). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that allele A remained a risk factor for gingivitis in children (P = 0.03) regardless of plaque or age. Also, allele A positive children were at increased odds of having gingivitis of 1.8 (95% con- fidence interval [CI]: 1.05 to 3.06) compared to allele A negative children after adjusting for plaque, age, and gender.

Conclusion: These data suggest that the –1082*A allele could be a risk factor for gingivitis. J Periodontol 2005;76:1455-1462.