Effectiveness of non-surgical treatment to reduce il-18 levels in the gingival crevicular fluid of patients with periodontal disease.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the non-surgical periodontal treatment in reducing the gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) levels of IL-18 from inflamed periodontal sites. Fourteen patients with periodontal disease were included, being 9 patients with chronic periodontitis (mean age: 48.8 SD ± 7.4 years) and 5 patients with gingivitis (mean age: 43.6 SD ± 11.8). The patients were divided in the following groups: gingivitis sites from periodontitis patients (sites GP), periodontitis sites from periodontitis patients (sites PP), and gingivitis sites from gingivitis patients (sites GG). Probing pocket depth (PPD), probing attachment level (AL), plaque index (PI) and gingival index (GI) were recorded, and gingival fluid samples were collected. The subjects received non-surgical treatment and were re-evaluated 30 days after treatment (day 30 AT). There was a significant reduction in PI in GG (1.0 ± 0.4 to 0.5 ± 0.2), GP (1.2 ± 0.3 to 0.5 ± 0.3), and in PP (1.3 ± 0.4 to 0.7 ± 0.3) 30 AT. There was also a significant reduction in the GI in GG (1.3 ± 0.3 to 0.7 ± 0.4). PPD reduced significantly in GG (2.4 ± 0.6 to 1.9 ± 0.1), and PP (6.7 ± 1.1 to 5.2 ± 0.9) 30 AT. When all the samples were analyzed together, there was a significant reduction in IL-18 (12.9 ± 7.2 to 10.0 ± 3.1). This study showed that non-surgical treatment was effective in reducing GCF levels of IL-18 from inflamed periodontal sites.