GINGIVAL INTERLEUKIN-6 CONCENTRATION FOLLOWING PHASE-I THERAPY

THERE IS LITTLE INFORMATION available on the effects of periodontal th erapy on tissue levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6). This study compares IL -6 concentrations in gingiva and gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) from patients requiring surgical procedures following Phase I periodontal t herapy. Sites requiring surgery due to ''unresolved'' intrabony pocket s were compared to sites not requiring surgery (''resolved'') in each patient. Resolved sites had minimal histologic evidence of chronic inf lammation and IL-6 accumulation; unresolved sites contained a substant ial number of chronic inflammatory cells and IL-6 was widely distribut ed. IL-6 levels in GCF were significantly greater at resolved than at unresolved gingival sites (P < 0.001); however, IL-6 tissue levels wer e significantly greater at unresolved than in resolved gingival sites (P < 0.01). These results suggest that IL-6 levels were elevated in gi ngival connective tissue adjacent to intrabony pockets which had not b een resolved following Phase I therapy. Thus, intrabony pocket resolut ion may be affected by accumulation of IL-6 in the adjacent gingival c onnective tissue, which may result from increased rates of synthesis o r reduced rates of release from gingiva into the GCF.