Effect of Systemically Administered Azithromycin in Early Onset Aggressive Periodontitis

Azithromycin is a macrolide which possesses a strong antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative pathogens. In the present study, we studied the effect of azithromycin as an adjunct to non-surgical treatment in early onset aggressive periodontitis. Initial treatment consisting of oral instructions and full-mouth scaling and root planing was performed over a 2-month period. Patients were then administered with azithromycin, 500 mg per os, 1x/day, for 3 days. Professional mechanical tooth cleaning was performed once every two weeks during the initial preparation. Initial treatment was considered as completed when the gingival index was < 1. The probing pocket depth, percentage of periodontal pockets with depth ≥ 4 mm, and the rate of bleeding on probing improved following treatment. The duration of the treatment was 4.7 ± 3.2 months. Another group of patients received the same initial treatment but without azithromycin. The duration of the treatment for this group was 11.2 ± 4.9 months. These results indicate that azithromycin may be useful for the treatment of early onset periodontitis.