AZITHROMYCIN DECREASE SALIVA CALPROTECTIN IN PATIENTS WITH PERIODONTAL DISEASES

Abstract

Objective: Calprotectin is a calcium bindingheterocomplex protein which appear to have regulatoryfunctions in the inflammatory process. Epithelial cells whichexpressing calprotectin are more resistant to bacterial inva-sion. In acute phase inflammatory reactions calprotectin isdetectable in elevated levels.The aim of the present study is to detect thecalprotectin level in saliva in patients with periodontal dis-ease (chronic and aggressive periodontitis and gingivitis)and to follow calprotectin level during azithromycin treat-ment.Methods and materials: In nine healthy patientswithout systemic disease and malignancy wholeunstimulated saliva was investigated. Salivary calprotectinlevels were measured by enzyme-linked-immunosorbentusing a commercial kit (ELISA Hycult Biotech).Azithromycin treatment was taken as 500 mg (2 x 250 mgtabls.) once daily at 10.00 am for 4 consecutive days.Results: At baseline Day levels of calprotectinranged between 1.45 and 2.97; median 2.19. On Day 5 (firstday after azithromycin treatment) the salivary calprotectinlevels decreased in 6 of the patients. The measured valuesat Day 10 were more similar to those at Day 5, than thoseat Day zero. This was confirmed by the values of the aver-age median of calprotectin.Conclusion: We present the first study with the ap-plication of antibiotic and measurement the calprotectin lev-els before, during and after azithromycin intake with no sideeffects reported.Measuring calprotectin levels could benefit the moni-toring of antibiotic treatment efficacy in patients with gin-givitis and periodontitis.