Effect of Non-Surgical Periodontal Therapy on C-Telopeptide Pyridinoline Cross-Links (ICTP) and Interleukin-1 Levels

Background: Biochemical markers harvested from gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) may be useful to identify and predict periodontal disease progression and to monitor the response to treatment. C-telopeptide pyridinoline cross-links (ICTP), a host-derived breakdown product specific for bone, and interleukin-1β (IL-1), a potent bone-resorptive cytokine, have been associated with periodontal tissue destruction. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of non-surgical periodontal therapy on GCF levels of ICTP and IL-1. Methods: Twenty-five chronic periodontitis subjects were monitored at 8 sites per subject at baseline prior to scaling and root planing and 1, 3, and 6 months after therapy. Four shallow (probing depths <4 mm) and 4 deep (probing depths ≥5 mm) sites were monitored for both marker levels and clinical parameters. GCF was collected for 30 seconds on paper strips, and levels of ICTP and IL-1 were determined using radioimmunoassay (RIA) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) techniques, respectively. Clinical measurements included probing depth (PD), clinical attachment level (CAL), and bleeding on probing (BOP). Results: Deep sites exhibited significantly (P <0.001) higher ICTP and IL-1 levels compared to shallow sites at all time intervals. ICTP demonstrated a stronger association to clinical parameters than IL-1 including a modest correlation (r = 0.40, P <0.001) between ICTP and attachment loss. Significant improvements in PD, CAL, and BOP were observed at 1, 3, and 6 months in all sites (P <0.01). However, non-surgical mechanical therapy did not significantly reduce ICTP and IL-1 levels over the 6-month period. Further examination of subjects based on smoking status revealed that ICTP levels were significantly reduced at 3 and 6 months and IL-1 levels reduced at 3 months among non-smokers only. Conclusions: A single episode of non-surgical mechanical therapy did not significantly reduce biochemical markers associated with bone resorption in patients exhibiting chronic periodontitis. Future longitudinal studies are warranted to specifically evaluate the relationship between C-telopeptide pyridinoline cross-links and periodontal disease progression.