GINGIVAL OVERGROWTH AMONG RENAL-TRANSPLANT RECIPIENTS AND UREMIC PATIENTS

No detailed data exist on an association between combined cyclosporin (CsA) and dihydropyridine (DHP) medication and gingival overgrowth amo ng renal patients. Thirty-five renal transplant recipients treated wit h CsA and 28 uraemic patients participated in this research. Fourteen of the recipients and 14 of the uraemic patients were receiving DHP. T he examination included determination of the duration of the CsA and D HP treatment protocols, the mean daily oral dose of DHP, and periodont al status. Gingival overgrowth was classified into four categories acc ording to the clinical changes: score 0 = no gingival overgrowth, scor e 1 = mild gingival overgrowth, score 2 = moderate gingival overgrowth , and score 3 = severe gingival overgrowth. The prevalence of clinical ly obvious gingival overgrowth (scores 2 and 3) was 35% in those treat ed with CsA and DHP, 24% with CsA and 21% with DHP. The concomitant ad ministration of CsA and DHP resulted in a significantly increased perc entage of scores 2 and 3 overgrown gingival units as compared with DHP alone (P<0.05). Gingival overgrowth (scores 1, 2, 3) did not correlat e with either the daily oral dose of DHP or the duration of DHP treatm ent. Combined treatment with CsA and DHP did not significantly increas e the prevalence of gingival overgrowth, but it did increase the sever ity of it among susceptible patients.