Gingivitis Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Gingivitis, including details on gum inflammation, plaque, treatment, oral hygiene.

Crevicular fluid endothelin-1 levels in periodontal health and disease.

Pradeep AR, Guruprasad CN, Swati P, Shikha C

Department of Periodontics, Government Dental College and Hospital, Bangalore, Karnataka, India. periodontics_gdc@yahoo.co.in

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Endothelin-1 is a 21-amino-acid peptide with multifunctional regulation. Initial research indicated that endothelin-1 levels in the gingival crevicular fluid from patients with chronic periodontitis were higher than those in the gingival crevicular fluid from healthy subjects. The aim of the present study was to assess the relationship between the clinical parameters and the concentrations of endothelin-1 within the gingival crevicular fluid from inflamed gingiva and periodontitis sites and, subsequently, after the treatment of periodontitis sites. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 60 subjects were divided into three groups - healthy (group I), gingivitis (group II) and chronic periodontitis (group III) - based on gingival index, pocket probing depth and clinical attachment loss. A fourth group consisted of 20 subjects from group III, 6-8 wk after treatment (i.e. scaling and root planing). Gingival crevicular fluid samples collected from each patient were quantified for endothelin-1 using an enzymatic immunometric assay. RESULTS: Endothelin-1 was not detected in any sample from any of the study groups. CONCLUSION: The results showed that all the gingival crevicular fluid samples were negative for the endothelin-1 molecule. Therefore, endothelin-1 cannot be considered as a potential biomarker of periodontal disease progression.

Published 1 May 2008 in J Periodontal Res, 43(3): 275-8.
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