Background and Objective: Periostin is a considerable structural protein and adhesion molecule that provides a pivotal function in maintaining tissue integrity. Therefore, the objective was to study its levels in the gingival crevicular fluid of individuals without any periodontal health issues in comparison with those who had periodontitis before and after periodontal therapy.
Subjects and methods: Crevicular sampling of periostin was conducted on 60 subjects that included 20 periodontally healthy individuals (Group I) and 40 patients, diagnosed with periodontitis, who were split into 2 groups. Group II received scaling and root planing (SRP), while Group III underwent SRP and intra-pocket placement of polycaprolactone nanofibers loaded by oxytetracycline hydrochloride (PCL/OTC). All participants underwent a clinical examination to evaluate their plaque and gingival indices, probing depth, and clinical attachment level. Additionally, their crevicular levels of periostin were analyzed biochemically at the beginning of the study and after 3 months.
Results: At baseline, the levels of periostin were found to be lower in patients with periodontitis compared to healthy individuals. After 3 months, there was a notable rise in the periostin levels, and an improvement in the clinical indices in the treated groups. Furthermore, groups II and III differed significantly in both periostin and clinical attachment levels in favor of group III treated by PCL/OTC.
Conclusion: The levels of crevicular periostin in periodontitis patients increased significantly after the periodontal adjunctive placement of PCL/OTC. Therefore, these molecular variations could reveal both disease susceptibility and activity, in addition to assessing the efficacy of periodontal therapy.