The TPL women revealed worsened periodontal conditions and elevated serum IL-8 and IL-1beta levels compared to the non-TPL women. The elevated levels of serum IL-8 and IL-1beta could have affected the maintenance of the proper uterine-fetus relationship, resulting in premature uterine contractions.

Significant associations between periodontal status and several health conditions were found in the adult population examined, including gender, smoking habit, diastolic blood pressure, white blood cell counts, C-reactive protein, and serum IgG antibodies to P. gingivalis fimbriae, IgG P. gingivalis whole cell, and IgG A. actinomycetemcomitans whole cell titers.

The cell occlusive effects on human gingival fibroblasts of degradable lactic acid-glycolic acid copolymer membranes (noncoated membranes) and membranes coated with a sucrose ester of fatty acid (coated membranes) were studied and compared with those of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (e-PTFE) membranes. The membranes were immersed in a culture medium periodically for 21 days and interposed into a chemotaxis chamber, and the fibroblasts then were cultured in the chamber for another 7 days. The passage rate of cells through the membranes was calculated and the change in surface structure of each membrane after immersion for 28 days was observed by an environmental scanning electron microscope. The passage rate of coated membranes (3.4+/-2.2%) was significantly lower than that of noncoated (25.7+/-5.1%) at the 28th day whereas the passage rate of e-PTFE membranes was 0.8-1.5%. Many pores were observed on the noncoated membranes before immersion while the coating material covered most of the pores on the coated membranes. The average pore size of the noncoated membranes was larger than that of the coated membranes at day 28. The structure of the e-PTFE membranes underwent no change. The passage rate of the coated membranes was not different from the e-PTFE membranes, suggesting an effect that might be useful for a guided tissue regeneration procedure.

No abstract

Recent evidence suggests that periodontal status, serum antibody levels for periodontopathic bacteria, and general health conditions are linked. Subjects over the age of 40 years (n=650) were recruited for the present study. Periodontal status was evaluated using the Community Periodontal Index of Treatment Needs (CPITN). The following characteristics, assessed during a general health examination, were used