Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory disease that affects the interface of teeth and surrounding tissues. Gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) is an exudate of the periodontal tissues and can be collected from the gap between the tooth and gum (gingival sulcus or periodontal pocket) with paper strips. Testing of GCF is a low‐cost and minimally invasive procedure. In a variety of diseases, microRNAs (miRNAs) in body fluids are implicated in pathogenesis, and are suggested as potential diagnostic biomarkers. Here, we profiled miRNAs in GCF (two chronic periodontitis, one aggressive periodontitis, and five healthy subjects) using miRCURY LNA™ Universal RT microRNA PCR System, which yielded quantitative measures of more than 600 miRNAs. Through this analysis, we found that miRNA profiles in GCF of periodontitis patients are distinct from those of healthy controls. We further selected 40 miRNAs and confirmed their differential expression patterns in different subjects (five chronic periodontitis, one aggressive periodontitis, and six healthy subjects) using a custom miRNA PCR panel. This is the first demonstration of miRNA profiling in GCF and its alteration in periodontitis. Our findings suggest that a subset of miRNAs in GCF holds potential as a biomarker for periodontitis.

Bone mineral density (BMD) has not been clearly determined in patients with ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) in the cervical spine. BMD in patients with OPLL was measured in the third vertebral body in the lateral projection and in the distal part of the radius in the anteroposterior projection using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Patients with OPLL had significantly higher BMD than healthy controls in both the lumbar spine and radius. Observing BMD by gender and age group, high BMD was recognized especially in female patients over 60 years of age. Significantly increased BMD was observed in patients with ankylosing spinal hyperostosis (ASH) in addition to OPLL. These findings suggest that patients with OPLL may tend to develop systemic hyperostosis, leading to the pathological ectopic ossification observed in OPLL.

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In order to clarify the low frequency of fractures in patients with ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL), the incidence of the fractures in women whit OPLL of the cervical spine was compared with that in women without OPLL.69 women with OPLL and 94 women without OPLL (control) were used for the study. The ages of the patient with OPLL ranged from 52 to 86 years old and averaged 70.1 years old, whie the ages of the women without OPLL ranged from 60 to 75 years old and averaged 68 years old. For these women, we surveyed the past history of the fractures of spine, hip or distal forearm. In some of these women, bone mineral density (BMD) were measured using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA).In the OPLL group, only 8 patients (11.6%) had fractures wheras in the ccontrol group, 23 women (24.5%) had fractures. There was a significant difference (p<0.05) between these two groups. BMD of the lumbar spinein the OPLL group was higher than that of the control group.In conclusion, there was a tendency for a low frequency of fractures in OPLL patients.