Serum Adipocytokine and C-reactive Proetin Levels after Periodontal Treatment

Objectives: The relationship between periodontal diseases and life-style related diseases such as obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease has been in public interest. Elevated levels of leptin and decreased adiponectin in serum were closely related to metabolic syndrome i.e. at the risk of life-style related diseases. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha became to be a known adipocytokine synthesized in adipocytes and has a role to regulate other adipocytekines partly in the balance of lipid metabolisms, while it functions as a proinflammatory cytokine in periodontal diseases. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of periodontal treatment on the serum levels of adipocytokine and C-reactive protein (CRP) which is regulated partly by adipocytokine.

Materials and Methods: Thirty-three Japanese subjects with chronic periodontitis (CP) were included in this study. Moderate CP (mean bone loss<30%) and severe CP (mean bone loss>30%) were selected by measuring bone loss in dental X-ray films obtained at the initial examination. CP patients received periodontal treatment with plaque control, scaling and root plaining. Peripheral blood samples were obtained before treatment and a month after the last scaling and root plaining. The levels of leptin, adiponectin, CRP and TNF-alpha in serum were measured by ELISA. Mann-Whitney's U test was performed for the statistic analysis.

Results: The serum level of leptin, adiponectin, TNF-alpha and CRP were not significantly different between moderate CP and severe CP subjects before treatment. Leptin and CRP levels were significantly decreased after treatment (mean±SD, leptin; before 8.02±0.96ng/ml, after 7.10±0.77 ng/ml, P=0.025, CRP; before 999.8±269.1ng/ml, after 491.2±84.7ng/ml, P=0.048). The level of adiponectin and TNF-alpha did not change significantly after treatment.

Conclusion: Severity of periodontitis in our criteria was not related to the serum adipocytokine levels. Periodontal treatment had effects to reduce serum levels of leptin and CRP, while adiponectin was not influenced by periodontal treatment.