Assessment of salivary levels of the chosen exoglycosidases in patients with aggressive periodontitis after treatment with doxycycline.

PURPOSE The aim of the study was the clinical assessment of the periodontium in patients with aggressive periodontitis (AP) after treatment with doxycycline hyclate. Moreover, an attempt was made to evaluate the effect of the treatment on the salivary concentrations of beta-glucuronidase, HEX, HEX A and HEX B in AP patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS Sixteen patients with aggressive periodontitis, aged 28-45 years, were enrolled in the study. The patients were treated with a doxycycline hyclate preparation (Periostat) for 2 months at a dose of 20 mg twice a day. The clinical examination was performed twice, directly prior to pharmacological treatment and after its termination. The following clinical parameters were evaluated: the plaque index (PI), the sulcus bleeding index (SBI), the pocket probing depth (PPD) and the clinical attachment level (CAL). Biochemical determination of beta-glucuronidase, HEX, HEX A and HEX B concentrations in non-stimulated saliva was performed before and after treatment. RESULTS In AP patients, the values of PI, SBI and CAL before and after treatment were comparable. The mean pocket probing depth before treatment was 3.5 mm, which decreased significantly after treatment (3.2 mm). The values expressed as pKat/kg protein for specific enzymatic activities of HEX, HEX A, HEX B and beta-glucuronidase in the saliva of AP patients before and after doxycycline treatment were similar. CONCLUSIONS A 2-month treatment with doxycycline is too short to obtain clinical changes. Although the assessment of the activity of such enzymes as beta-glucuronidase, HEX, HEX A and HEX B in the saliva of AP patients allows detection of periodontal inflammation, it cannot be used to determine the risk of its development and therefore has no practical significance.