Short-term effects of photodynamic therapy on periodontal status and glycemic control of patients with diabetes.
BACKGROUND
Periodontitis is a major cause of tooth loss among adults. Several studies have shown a possible systemic impact of periodontal infection, including poor glycemic control in patients with diabetes. Recently, photodynamic therapy (PDT) was used to successfully treat periodontal infection. PDT provides a broad spectrum antimicrobial efficacy with no local or systemic side effects. The objective of this study was to examine the effect of the adjunctive use of PDT on periodontal status and glycemic control of patients with diabetes and periodontitis.


METHODS
Forty-five patients with type 2 diabetes and moderate to severe chronic periodontitis were selected and randomly assigned to one of the following three treatment modalities (15 subjects each): scaling and root planing (SRP) only, SRP plus systemic doxycycline, and SRP plus PDT. The plaque and bleeding scores, probing depth, clinical attachment level, and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) level were recorded at baseline and 3 months after periodontal treatment. Descriptive statistics, the paired t test, and analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used for data analysis.


RESULTS
Statistically significant differences in the mean probing depth, clinical attachment level, plaque deposit, and bleeding on probing were found between baseline and 12 weeks post-treatment for all groups. No significant differences in periodontal parameters and glucose levels were detected among the three groups. Reduction in the mean HbA1c level after treatment was observed in all groups but was only significant for the SRP plus doxycycline group.


CONCLUSIONS
The results of the present study indicate that PDT does not benefit conventional non-surgical periodontal therapy in patients with diabetes.
Division of Periodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Mohammad S
MS
Al-Zahrani
Shatha O
SO
Bamshmous
Ahmed A
AA
Alhassani
Mossad M
MM
Al-Sherbini
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D055113:Chronic Periodontitis / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003774:Dental Plaque Index; D012534:Dental Scaling; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004318:Doxycycline / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005884:Gingival Hemorrhage / Q000188:drug therapy; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008751:Methylene Blue / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D017622:Periodontal Attachment Loss / Q000188:drug therapy; D010512:Periodontal Index; D010514:Periodontal Pocket / Q000188:drug therapy; D010778:Photochemotherapy; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016745:Root Planing; D016037:Single-Blind Method
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001786:Blood Glucose; D004318:Doxycycline; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; D008751:Methylene Blue; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents