title: Neutrophil elastase levels in periapical exudates of symptomatic and asymptomatic teeth.
abstract: The aim of this study was to determine neutrophil elastase levels (NE) in periapical exudates and to evaluate its relationship with clinical signs and symptoms of endodontically involved teeth. A total of 42 teeth with periapical periodontitis of 37 patients were clinically examined and spontaneous pain, swelling, pain on palpation or percussion, sinus tract formation and pus discharge were recorded. Additionally, periapical lesion size was measured on periapical radiographs. Periapical exudate samples were obtained during routine root canal treatment by using paper points. Enzyme levels were determined by spectrophotometric assays using the NE specific substrate N-methoxysuccinil-Ala-Ala-Pro-Val-p-nitroanilide. The teeth with signs and symptoms showed higher NE levels than the teeth without symptoms (p<0.05). The differences were significant when NE levels were presented as total amounts instead of concentration. This study demonstrated that NE in periapical lesions related with clinical symptoms and total enzyme amount may be more reliable mode of data presentation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontology, Faculty of Dentistry, Selcuk University, Konya, Turkey. alptekin@selcuk.edu.tr
authors.forename: Nilgun Ozlem
authors.initials: NO
authors.lastname: Alptekin
authors.forename: Hale
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ari
authors.forename: Tamer
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ataoglu
authors.forename: Seyfullah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Haliloglu
authors.forename: Tuncay
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Alptekin
authors.forename: Behic
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Serpek
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003751:Dental Fistula / Q000201:enzymology; D004487:Edema / Q000201:enzymology; D005122:Exudates and Transudates / Q000201:enzymology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019272:Leukocyte Elastase / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010485:Periapical Periodontitis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D011859:Radiography; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013492:Suppuration / Q000201:enzymology; D014098:Toothache / Q000201:enzymology
chemical_list: D019272:Leukocyte Elastase