Gingival crevicular fluid osteocalcin in adult periodontitis

This study aimed to detect the levels of osteocalcin in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) from healthy (less than or equal to 3 mm sulcus depth and non- bleeding) and diseased sites (greater than or equal to 6 mm probing depth a nd bleeding) in subjects with adult periodontitis, in order to further inve stigate its potential as a possible marker of the disease process. Periodon tal probing depths, attachment levels and gingival indices were recorded fr om one healthy and one diseased site ill each of 20; subjects with adult pe riodontitis. Both GCF accumulated in the periodontal pocket or sulci and GC F flowing into the periodontal pocket or sulci over a three-minute interval were sampled. The amounts of osteocalcin in each GCF sample was determined using immunoassays. A mean of 2.34 ng/site (2.7 mu g/ml) osteocalcin was f ound at diseased sites and a mean of 2.47 ng/site (5.47 mu g/ml) was found at healthy sites for the accumulated GCF collection method. A mean of 0.17 ng/site (2.17 mu g/ml) osteocalcin was found at diseased sites and a mean o f 0.12 ng/site (1.85 mu g/ml) at healthy sites for the flow method of GCF c ollection. There were no statistically significant differences between oste ocalcin levels in diseased and healthy sites in subjects with adult periodo ntitis.