Comparison of salivary level of leptin in chronic periodontitis patients and healthy controls

Objectives Periodontal disease is an inflammatory condition of the tooth-supporting structures. Leptin is a hormone produced by the human body under different circumstances such as infection. It affects the production of cytokines, phagocytosis and the inflammation process. This study aimed to compare the salivary level of leptin in chronic periodontitis (CP) patients and healthy controls. Methods In this case-control study, saliva samples were collected from 43 subjects including 22 CP patients and 21 healthy controls. The salivary level of leptin was determined using the ELISA. Data were analyzed by the independent t-test. Results Despite the presence of leptin in the saliva of CP patients and healthy controls, no significant difference was noted in its salivary concentration between the two groups (p>0.05). Conclusion The salivary level of leptin in CP patients was not significantly different from that in healthy controls. Further studies with larger sample size are required to confirm the results of this study