Humoral immune response in early-onset periodontitis: influence of smoking

Sixty-five patients with generalised early-onset periodontitis (G-EOP) (age range 16-42 years, 32 smokers and 33 non-smokers) were assessed for antibo dy titres and avidity to a panel of five suspected periodontal pathogens (P orphyromonas gingivalis, Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, Prevotella i ntermedia, Treponema denticola and Bacteroides forsythus). Thirty-four of t hese patients were untreated (17 smokers and 17 non-smokers), and thirty-on e were in the maintenance phase of periodontal therapy (15 smokers and 16 n on-smokers). Previous studies have investigated the effect of smoking on Ig G levels in periodontitis patients in the context of the more extensive per iodontal destruction seen in smokers. Based on this literature our hypothes is was that smokers would have depressed serum IgG levels directed against recognised periodontal pathogens compared with non-smokers. Antibody titres were measured by ELISA deploying fixed whole cells as coating. The IgG res ponse was detected with biotin-anti-human IgG and avidin-peroxidase, avidit y was determined by elution with ammonium thiocyanate. Median titres to A. actinomycetemeomitans, P. intermedia and T. denticola were significantly lo wer in maintenance patient smokers (p = 0.02, 0.02 and 0.002 respectively) but not in untreated patients, Avidity to P. gingivalis was also lower in s moking maintenance patients (p = 0.003) but not in untreated patients. Thes e findings may imply some interruption of immune maturation in smokers foll owing periodontal treatment.