Evaluation of peripheral blood levels in patients with chronic and aggressive periodontitis: A clinico- biochemical study

Abstract

Introduction: Periodontitis is an inflammatory disease often chronic in nature characterized by destruction of both hard and soft tissues surrounding the teeth which may eventually lead to loss of teeth. Periodontitis results from immune inflammatory response to certain gram negative anaerobes in a susceptible host. Aim: The aim of the present study was to evaluate peripheral blood levels in healthy subjects, chronic and aggressive periodontitis patients and to assess whether increased levels of periodontal parameters in these subjects with chronic and aggressive periodontitis can influence the peripheral blood levels in the three study groups. Materials and Methods: The study was carried out on 55 subjects with male and female ratios of 27: 28 and included 20 controls, 20 patients with chronic periodontitis (Both localized and generalized cases) and 5 localized and 10 generalized aggressive periodontitis patients. Blood samples were collected from healthy controls (n=20) and patients with chronic periodontitis (n=20) and aggressive periodontitis (n=15). Recording of Oral Hygiene Index-Simplified (OHI-S), Bleeding Index (BI), Probing Pocket Depth (PPD) and Clinical Attachment Level (CAL) was done to evaluate the periodontal status of each patient. Blood was collected and transported to a lab within four hours after venepuncture for processing and peripheral blood parameters were evaluated. Data presentation was done in the form of mean and standard deviation and analysis of data was done using one way ANOVA and Students t-test to test the statistical significance between study groups. Results: An increase in peripheral blood levels of WBC and platelets were observed in both study groups whereas RBC and hemoglobin level were found to decrease in both the study groups when compared to healthy controls and this was found to be statistically significant (P<0.001). Conclusion: The findings of the present study indicates that there is a statistically significant correlation between presence and intensity of periodontitis and peripheral blood levels.