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.
Section of Periodontology, Dental Clinic, INF 400, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.
Bettina
B
Dannewitz
Sabine
S
Pohl
Peter
P
Eickholz
Ti-Sun
TS
Kim
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