Periodontal flap surgery with 25% metronidazole gel. (2). Effect on gingival crevicular fluid PGE2.

Author(s): Needleman IG, Moles DR, Collins AM

Affiliation(s): Department of Periodontology, Eastman Dental Institute for Oral Healthcare Sciences, University College London, University of London, UK. i.needleman@eastman.ucl.ac.uk

Publication date & source: 2000-03, J Clin Periodontol., 27(3):193-7.

Publication type: Clinical Trial; Randomized Controlled Trial

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to examine the effect of periodontal surgery on PGE2 levels in patients treated for advanced adult periodontitis, with and without application of a 25% metronidazole gel over 12 months follow-up. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The trial employed a randomised controlled, single-blind, parallel arm design on 43 patients with at least 1 pocket probing > or =6 mm with bleeding on probing (BOP). RESULTS: The results showed that GCF PGE2 levels showed no significant change following surgical therapy despite marked improvements in clinical periodontal health (p=0.653). No significant differences in the reaction of sites to treatment were detected between test and control groups throughout the study (p=0.709). However, PGE2 levels in GCF were significantly higher in experimental sites compared with healthy untreated sites (negative controls) in both surgery only (p= 0.001) and surgery+gel (p=0.023) groups throughout the study. CONCLUSION: Whilst clear differences were observed between healthy control sites and sites with periodontal breakdown, no effect of treatment on PGE2 levels was discernible in this study.