Affiliations: }Department of Periodontics, Government Dental College
and Research Institute, Bangalore, India | Department of Periodontics and Oral Implantology, Dr.
DY Patil Dental College and Hospital, Pune, India | Department of Conservative and Endodontics, Government
Dental College and Research Institute, Bangalore, India
Note: [] Corresponding author: Dr. N.M. Raghavendra, Department of
Periodontics, Govt. Dental College and Research Institute, Bangalore 560002,
India. Fax: +91 080 26703176; E-mail: periodonticsgdcri@gmail.com
Abstract: Visfatin is a pleiotropic mediator which acts as growth factor,
cytokine, enzyme involved in energy including nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide
metabolism and has been recently demonstrated to exert several pro-inflammatory
functions. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the Visfatin concentration
in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) and serum in patients with chronic
periodontitis, and to evaluate the effect of non-surgical periodontal therapy
on the GCF and serum visfatin concentration. 30 subjects (age range: 25 to 52
years) were selected and divided into two groups based on the gingival index,
probing depth, periodontal attachment level, and radiologic parameters (bone
loss): group 1 (15 subjects with healthy periodontium), group 2 (15 subjects
with chronic periodontitis), while, Group 2 patients after 8 weeks of the
treatment (scaling and root planning, SRP) constituted group 3. GCF samples (by
microcapillary pipettes) and serum samples (by venipuncture) were collected to
estimate the levels of Visfatin using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay kit.
The mean Visfatin concentration in GCF and serum was observed to be the highest
in group 2 and lowest in group 1. While concentration in group 3 was similar to
group 1. The concentration of Visfatin in GCF and serum decreased after SRP.
The Visfatin concentration in GCF and serum found to be highest in chronic
periodontitis group and decreases after treatment. Hence Visfatin values can be
considered as an "inflammatory marker" can be explored in future as a potential
therapeutic target in the treatment of periodontal disease.
