A MULTICENTER CLINICAL-TRIAL OF A NEW CHAIRSIDE TEST IN DISTINGUISHING BETWEEN DISEASED AND HEALTHY PERIODONTAL SITES .2. ASSOCIATION BETWEEN SITE TYPE AND TEST OUTCOME BEFORE AND AFTER THERAPY
I. Magnusson et al., A MULTICENTER CLINICAL-TRIAL OF A NEW CHAIRSIDE TEST IN DISTINGUISHING BETWEEN DISEASED AND HEALTHY PERIODONTAL SITES .2. ASSOCIATION BETWEEN SITE TYPE AND TEST OUTCOME BEFORE AND AFTER THERAPY, Journal of periodontology, 67(6), 1996, pp. 589-596
THE AIM OF THE PRESENT STUDY WAS TO EVALUATE the association between t
he outcome of a chairside test measuring gingival crevicular fluid (GC
F) levels of the enzyme aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and other cli
nical measures of disease including probing depth, severity of inflamm
ation, and GCF flow before and after therapy. We studied 91 patients w
ith moderate to severe periodontitis. Eight sites with probing depths
between 5 mm and 8 mm and obvious signs of inflammation were selected
and designated diseased sites. Four sites with probing depth less than
or equal to 3 mm with no or minimal signs of inflammation were select
ed and designated non-diseased sites in patients. Thirty healthy indiv
iduals were enrolled and four sites in each were selected and designat
ed healthy controls. Patients were treated with scaling and root plani
ng and control subjects with supragingival prophylaxis. Measurements i
ncluding GCF volume, gingival inflammation, and probing depth were per
formed at screening baseline, 1 week later at pretreatment baseline, a
nd at weeks 2 and 4 after treatment. AST content of GCF was measured u
sing a chairside colorometric test. It was concluded that the outcome
of the test is an effective objective measure distinguishing between d
iseased sites and non-diseased sites in patients and control subjects
when evaluated both prior to and following application of therapy. Use
of this simple chairside test, when combined with other standard diag
nostic procedures, provides an objective measurement permitting improv
ed capacity to distinguish between diseased and non-diseased periodont
al sites, and to better assess and monitor the outcome of therapy.