title: Endotoxin levels in periodontally healthy and diseased sites: correlation with levels of gram-negative bacteria.
abstract: This study investigated the correlation between endotoxin levels and the percentage of Gram-negative bacteria in healthy sites and in periodontitis sites. Twelve healthy adults participated. Each subject provided 3 periodontitis sites with 5 to 8 mm probing depths that bled on gentle probing and 3 healthy sites with sulcus depths of 1 to 3 mm that did not bleed. Clinical examinations and sterile paper point sampling of all study sites were conducted on days 0, 7, and 14, and site-specific endotoxin levels and percentage of Gram-negative bacteria were determined. There were significant differences in both endotoxin levels and percentage Gram-negative bacteria between healthy and periodontitis sites across all 3 sampling periods, but no difference across sampling periods in the healthy sites and the periodontitis sites, respectively. Correlation coefficients revealed a high degree of correlation between site-specific endotoxin levels and percentage of Gram-negative organisms. Using a sample dilution of 1 x 10(4), endotoxin levels differentiated healthy from periodontitis sites with a specificity of approximately 91% and a sensitivity of approximately 90%.
authors.affiliation: Division of Oral Infectious Diseases, School of Dental and Oral Surgery, Columbia University, New York, NY.
authors.forename: D H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Fine
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mendieta
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Barnett
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Furgang
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Naini
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Vincent
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D003773:Dental Plaque / Q000737:chemistry / Q000382:microbiology; D004731:Endotoxins / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D005883:Gingival Crevicular Fluid / Q000737:chemistry / Q000382:microbiology; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010512:Periodontal Index; D010514:Periodontal Pocket / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology; D010518:Periodontitis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology*; D010519:Periodontium / Q000737:chemistry / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D004731:Endotoxins