THE CYCLIC REGIMEN OF LOW-DOSE DOXYCYCLINE FOR ADULT PERIODONTITIS - A PRELIMINARY-STUDY

SPECIALLY-FORMULATED LOW-DOSE DOXYCYCLINE (LDD) regimens have been fou nd to reduce collagenase activity in the gingival tissues and crevicul ar fluid (GCF) of adult periodontitis subjects in short-term studies. In the current, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, adult periodon titis patients were administered for 6 months a ''cyclical'' regimen o f either LDD or placebo capsules; and various clinical parameters of p eriodontal disease severity, and both collagenase activity and degrada tion of the serum protein, alpha(1)-PI, in the GCF were measured at di fferent time periods. No significant differences between the LDD- and placebo-treated groups were observed for plaque index and gingival ind ex. However, attachment levels, probing depth, and GCF collagenase act ivity and alpha(1)-PI degradation were all beneficially and significan tly (P < 0.05) affected by the drug regimen. We propose: 1) that LDD i nhibits tissue destruction in the absence of either antimicrobial or s ignificant anti-inflammatory efficacy; and 2) that long-term LDD could be a useful adjunct to instrumentation therapy in the management of t he adult periodontitis patient.