Conclusions
At baseline, the presence of shallow periodontal pockets at interdental locations with a lower abundance of P. gingivalis is predictive of a favorable response to NSPT at the site level. Decreased salivary MMP-9 associated with increased GST and Annexin-1 levels can predict successful whole-mouth outcomes following NSPT.
Methods
A total of 68 periodontitis patients exhibiting 1111 periodontal pockets 4 to 6 mm in depth completed the active phase of periodontal treatment. Clinical periodontal parameters, saliva, and subgingival biofilm samples were collected from each patient at baseline and three months after NSPT. A quantitative PCR assay was used to detect the presence of Fusobaterium nucleatum and Porphyromonas gingivalis in the biofilm samples. Salivary biomarkers including matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9, glutathione S-transferase (GST), and Annexin-1 were assayed both qualitatively (Western blot analysis) and quantitively (ELISA).
Results
NSPT yielded significant improvements in all clinical parameters, including a reduction in bacterial load and decreased levels of MMP-9 together with increased concentrations of GST and Annexin-1. The binary logistic regression suggested that the overall accuracy of P. gingivalis identification, probing pocket depth, and interproximal sites was 71.1% in predicting successful site-specific outcomes. The salivary biomarker model yielded an overall accuracy of 79.4% in predicting whole-mouth outcomes following NSPT. Conclusions: At baseline, the presence of shallow periodontal pockets at interdental locations with a lower abundance of P. gingivalis is predictive of a favorable response to NSPT at the site level. Decreased salivary MMP-9 associated with increased GST and Annexin-1 levels can predict successful whole-mouth outcomes following NSPT.