Neopterin Profile to Evaluate the Effectiveness of Treatment in Aggressive Periodontitis

Periodontal disease results from the interaction of the host defence mechanisms with the microbial dental plaque. Analysis of gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) provides a non-invasive means of evaluating the role of the host response in periodontal disease. Based on our previous study, demonstrating increased levels of neopterin in GCF and saliva from patients with aggressive periodontitis (AgP), the aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of periodontal treatment on the levels of neopterin in GCF, saliva and urine of patients with AgP. Pre-treatment values of neopterin in GCF were 4.04 ± 0.86 nmol/ml for the AgP group (n=8) and 2.68 ± 0.90 nmol/ml for the control group (n=8; difference not significant). After periodontal treatment, the level of neopterin was found 2.38 ± 0.72 nmol/ml in the patient group which did not differ from pre-treatment levels. The salivary neopterin concentration was higher in both AgP groups (14.14 ± 2.85 nmol/l and 8.02 ± 3.12 nmol/l, before and after periodontal treatment) than in controls (2.58 ± 0.3 nmol/l; both p<0.05). No significant difference in salivary neopterin level was observed in patients before and after periodontal treatment. Concentrations of urine neopterin in patients before treatment were 188.5 ± 30.98 μmol neopterin/mol creatinine and 168.1 ± 20.21 μmol in controls (difference not significant). Following periodontal treatment, the urinary neopterin levels (310.1 ± 39.82 μmol neopterin/mol creatinine) were higher when compared to the baseline levels and to controls (p<0.05). Our results suggest that neopterin in saliva and GCF might be associated with the periodontal diseases process.