Collagen type I and III metabolism in assessment of mandible fractures healing.

PURPOSE The aim of this work was estimation of the PIIINP, PICP and ICTP concentrations in blood serum during non-complicated mandible fracture healing; settlement of dependences between kinetics of changes of examined markers with reference to particular bone fracture phases and applied treatment methods; the determination of usefulness of collagen metabolism markers type III and I for the monitoring of mandibular fracture healing. MATERIAL AND METHODS The material was blood serum of men aged 20-30 years, who were treated for mandible fractures in Maxillofacial Clinic Medical University of Bialystok. Depending on the treating method, examined patients were divided into two groups. Patients treated with non-operative method were I group (n = 31), II group was made of patients treated with surgery (n = 33). The concentrations of markers measured on the 2nd, 14th, 42nd, 90th day after trauma and in II group these substances were measured additionally on the 2nd and 14th day after surgery. Control group consisted of 20 healthy men the same age. Concentrations of markers were measured with the radioimmunological method (RIA). RESULTS Regular process of mandible fracture healing in men in various periods occurs with PICP, PIIINP and ICTP concentration changes in blood serum. CONCLUSIONS Changes of maker concentration show that, mandible fracture healing treated non-operatively is a more dynamic process than stable osteosynthesis method applied. Lack of positive correlation of the PIIINP and PICP concentration in blood serum of patients in two examined groups can indicate on the different mechanisms of mandible fracture healing connected with different methods of the treatment.