Abstract
BackgroundAging is associated with altered immune response, which increases susceptibility to infections. sTREM-1 is involved in the amplification of the inflammatory response to bacterial infection. The present cross-sectional study aims to investigate local sTREM-1 levels in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) as well as key periodontal pathogen levels in the subgingival plaque in an elderly cohort with periodontal health, gingivitis, and chronic periodontitis (CP).MethodsSubjects were 51 systemically healthy, elderly individuals (mean age, 68 ± 4.5 years) who had undergone full-mouth periodontal examinations. Subgingival plaque and GCF samples were collected from the healthy sites of participants without periodontal disease (n = 17), the sites with gingival inflammation from patients with gingivitis (n = 19), and the periodontitis sites of patients with CP (n = 15). GCF volumes were measured by an electronic impedance device, and total protein levels were assessed by a flouremetric assay. sTREM-1 levels in GCF were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The subgingival plaque total bacteria, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Tannerella forsythia, Treponema denticola, Fusobacterium nucleatum, and Prevotella intermedia levels were determined by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Statistical analysis was performed using nonparametric methods.ResultsGCF volume, total protein concentrations, and sTREM-1 levels in GCF were similar among the groups (p > 0.05). Significantly higher T. forsythia levels were observed in subgingival plaque samples harvested from patients with gingivitis and CP, than in those from healthy participants (p < 0.05). However, the subgingival levels of the other four periodontal pathogens and total bacteria were not statistically different among the groups (p > 0.05).ConclusionsOur findings suggest that there are no differences in GCF volume, total protein, and sTREM-1 levels between healthy and periodontally diseased elderly adults. We found only limited differences in the studied subgingival microbial profile. This finding indicates an already deregulated, local inflammatory response in this elderly cohort, on which bacterial biofilm challenge may have a limited further impact.
Highlights
Aging is associated with altered immune response, which increases susceptibility to infections. sTREM-1 is involved in the amplification of the inflammatory response to bacterial infection
We have shown in other studies that local and systemic sTREM-1 levels are elevated in patients with periodontitis compared to healthy individuals [27, 28]
Full-mouth mean Probing-pocket depth (PPD), Clinical attachment level (CAL), Plaque index (PI), and Bleeding on probing (BOP) scores were significantly higher in the chronic periodontitis (CP) and gingivitis groups than in the healthy group (P < 0.0001) (Table 1)
Summary
Aging is associated with altered immune response, which increases susceptibility to infections. sTREM-1 is involved in the amplification of the inflammatory response to bacterial infection. The present crosssectional study aims to investigate local sTREM-1 levels in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) as well as key periodontal pathogen levels in the subgingival plaque in an elderly cohort with periodontal health, gingivitis, and chronic periodontitis (CP). Periodontal diseases in their severe form affect approximately 10 % of the global population, and their direct treatment poses a significant annual burden on national health systems. The World Health Organisation defines an elderly person as one who is 65 years and older [10] Many physical changes, such as reduction in bone mass, compromised immune system, and cancer, occur with increasing age [11]. Periodontal disease is a common chronic, inflammatory disease that occurs during an individual’s lifetime, its relationship with aging has not been fully elucidated
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