Clinical findings and gingival crevicular fluid prostaglandin E2 and interleukin-1-beta levels following initial periodontal treatment and short-term meloxicam administration

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the effects of adjunctive meloxicam administration on clinical periodontal measurements and gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂) and interleukin-1-beta (IL-1β) levels in chronic periodontitis.

Methods: Forty chronic periodontitis patients were randomized to receive either meloxicam 7.5 mg or placebo tablets for 10 days with scaling and root planing (SRP). GCF levels of PGE₂ and IL-1β at baseline, day 10 of drug intake and 4 weeks after SRP were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Demographic, clinical periodontal data were analyzed using a repeated measures ANOVA and Bonferroni analysis. GCF PGE₂ and IL-1β levels were compared between different evaluation times using the Friedman test. The Mann–Whitney test was used to compare biochemical data between the study groups. Pearson correlation analysis was used to relate clinical and biochemical data.

Results: Study groups showed significant reductions in all clinical periodontal measurements and GCF volume (p < 0.05). In both groups, IL-1β was reduced significantly on day 10 and at week 4 compared with baseline (p < 0.01) without significant changes in PGE₂ levels (p > 0.05). No significant differences were found between study groups in GCF IL-1β or PGE₂ levels (p > 0.05).

Conclusion: Adjunctive meloxicam does not seem to provide additional improvement in clinical parameters or GCF PGE₂ and IL-1β levels. Larger-scale studies may better clarify potential usage of anti-inflammatory agents in periodontal therapy.

Keywords::

• ELISA
• gingival crevicular fluid
• nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
• periodontal treatment
• periodontitis

Acknowledgements

The authors greatly appreciate the contribution of biostatistician Research Assistant Timur Köse in the Department of Biostatistics and Medical Informatics, School of Medicine, Ege University, for kindly performing the statistical analyses for the present study.