Clinical and microbiological effects of a combined mechanic-antibiotic therapy in subjects with Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans-associated periodontitis.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the clinical and microbiological effects of a combined mechanic-antibiotic periodontal therapy in subjects that were tested positive for subgingival Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans (A.a.).


METHODS
The postoperative follow-up ranged from 12-115 months (average 39.2 months). This follow-up study analyzed the data of 53 subjects (37 females) aged from 16-59 years, who underwent systemic periodontal therapy with adjunctive systemic antibiotics between 1992-2001 and had their last re-examination including microbiological analysis done in 2003. The antibiotic regime was either amoxicillin/metronidazole or ciprofloxacine/metronidazole. During this study, A.a. was detected with two gene probe tests (IAI PadoTest 4.5 and DMDx/PathoTek) and cultivation on TSBV agar plates. The clinical situation was characterized with the help of pocket probing depths and subsequent categorization into three different groups (< or = 4 mm, 5-6 mm and > or = 7 mm).


RESULTS
After therapy, A.a. was detected with IAI PadoTest 4.5 in a magnitude between 3.0 x 10(3) up to 2.06 x 10(5) counts per specimen in 9 out of 53 subjects. Only two subjects tested positive for A.a. with the DMDx/PathoTek-assays and the agar cultivation. The clinical situation improved significantly in all subjects after systemic periodontal therapy. The treatment results remained stable during the course of the postoperative follow-up. Concerning the clinical data, no differences were found between the subjects that were tested positive and negative for A.a in the postoperative period.
Dannewitz
Bettina
B
Section of Periodontology, Dental Clinic, INF 400, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.
Pohl
Sabine
S
Eickholz
Peter
P
Kim
Ti-Sun
TS
D000189:Actinobacillus Infections / Q000382:microbiology / Q000628:therapy*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016976:Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans; D000658:Amoxicillin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002939:Ciprofloxacin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy / Q000379:methods; D012534:Dental Scaling; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008795:Metronidazole / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D010514:Periodontal Pocket / Q000382:microbiology / Q000628:therapy; D010518:Periodontitis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000628:therapy*; D016745:Root Planing
D008795:Metronidazole; D002939:Ciprofloxacin; D000658:Amoxicillin