title: Relationship between interleukin 1α levels in the gingival crevicular fluid in health and in inflammatory periodontal disease and periodontal inflamed surface area: A correlative study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Periodontitis has been suggested as a source of inflammation for pathological changes in distant sites. Interleukin-1 alpha (IL-1α) has shown to have specific roles in inflammation, immunity, tissue breakdown, and tissue homeostasis. This study assessed the correlation of periodontal inflamed surface area (PISA) index with the gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) levels of IL-1α, which would be helpful in evaluating the validity of PISA index in terms of reflection of the disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 40 subjects were recruited for this study and 20 subjects with healthy gingiva (Group I) served as controls and 20 subjects served as cases with periodontitis (Group II). Samples of GCF were obtained from one site in each patient by placing color-coded, calibrated, volumetric microcapillary pipettes extracrevicularly, and subjected to ELISA test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a statistical significance for mean probing depth (PD) and periodontal epithelial surface area (PESA) (P < 0.01), mean bleeding on probing and PISA, IL-1α (P < 0.01) and PESA (P < 0.05) in Group I. Statistical significance was found between PISA and IL-1α in Group I (P < 0.01). A positive correlation was found in Group II between mean PD and mean attachment loss (P < 0.01), PISA, IL-1α and PESA (P < 0.01), PISA and IL-1α levels (P < 0.01) which was statistically significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The inflammatory burden index was statistically significant in the periodontitis group correlating with higher IL-1α levels, which clearly indicates the validity of PISA index.
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontics, Sri Ramachandra University, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: Kalaichelvi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Govindarajan
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontics, Sri Ramachandra University, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: Santhanakrishnan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Muthukumar
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontics, Sri Ramachandra University, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: Suresh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rangarao
keywords: Gingival crevicular fluid; interleukin alpha; periodontal inflamed surface area