title: Histopathologic and histomorphometric studies and determination of IL-8 in patients with periodontal disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Periodontitis is an inflammatory disease characterized by connective tissue breakdown and alveolar bone resorption.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to make a quantitative evaluation of the gingival tissue components in biopsies from patients with different clinical states of periodontal disease and to determine the relationship between the presence of interleukin-8 and the tissue destruction.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study group consisted of 33 biopsies from adult subjects. A total of 25 periodontal patients were sub-classified on the basis of the clinical and radiographic criteria in mild, moderate and advanced periodontitis. Gingival samples were obtained from patients in the course of basic periodontal surgeries as a muco-periostic collate. Data were analyzed by the SPSS system.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Collagen fibres decreased as non-specific chronic states increased. A lymphocyte inflammatory infiltrate changed to a lymphoplasmocytary form. Reactivity to interleukin-8 was detected with the severity of the histopathologic diagnoses; however there was no association with the clinical diagnoses.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Histopathology and histomorphometry of gingival tissue changed with the degree of inflammation. No evidence of interleukin-8 as a biomarker for clinical diagnoses of periodontitis was obtained.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, School of Dentistry, National University of Tucumán, Argentina.
authors.forename: Myriam A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Koss
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontology, School of Dentistry, National University of Tucumán, Argentina.
authors.forename: Cecilia E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Castro
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, School of Dentistry, National University of Tucumán, Argentina.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Carino
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, School of Dentistry, National University of Tucumán, Argentina.
authors.forename: Maria E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: López
keywords: Histomorphometric study; interleukin-8; periodontitis