Abstract
Introduction
The association between smoking and periodontal diseases has been described in clinical and epidemiological studies.
Objective
The aim of this study was to compare the LL-37 and human β-defensin-2 (hBD-2) levels in crevicular fluid of patients with generalized periodontitis in smokers (S) and nonsmokers (NS).
Material and method
A total of 35 patients with generalized periodontitis stages III and IV, 15 NS (11 female, 4 male) and 20 S (7 female and 13 male), were included in the study. The evaluated clinical parameters were bleeding on probing (BOP), probing depth (PD) and clinical attachment level (CAL). Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays were performed to quantify the LL-37 and hBD-2 levels in the gingival crevicular fluid of these patients. The results were analyzed statistically with the level of significance set at 5%.
Result
In relation to periodontal clinical parameters, no statistically significant difference was observed for BOP and PD between groups S and NS. There was a higher CAL in the S group than in the NS group (p = 0.0095). There was no statistically significant difference between the levels of LL-37 and hBD-2 when comparing groups S and NS (p>0.05).
Conclusion
It was concluded that smokers have a higher clinical attachment loss than nonsmokers, but that smoking did not influence the levels of LL-37 and hBD-2 in the gingival crevicular fluid in periodontitis.
Descriptors:
Periodontitis; antimicrobial peptides; smoking
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