Periodontal nitric oxide pathway alteration due to precompetition anxiety in handball players

Interaction between hypertension and periodontitis

OBJECTIVE

The possible association between hypertension and periodontitis and the effect of hypertension on periodontal treatment were investigated by evaluating salivary and gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) interleukin (IL)-6 and C reactive protein (CRP) levels.

METHODS

Forty-two healthy individuals without any previously diagnosed systemic disease [10 periodontally healthy (control) and 10 periodontitis (CP)] and subjects with hypertension [13 periodontally healthy (HP) and 9 with periodontitis (CP + HP)] participated in the study. GCF and saliva samples were obtained at baseline and 4 weeks after Phase I periodontal treatment. Biochemical parameters were analyzed using ELISA.

RESULTS

Before the periodontal treatment, significantly higher GCF IL-6 and CRP levels were detected in CP + HP and CP groups compared to HP and control groups (p < 0.01). Salivary CRP level in CP + HP group was found to be higher than the control group (p < 0.05). Statistically significant gingival and plaque index measurements (p < 0.01) might suggest a possible effect of hypertension on periodontal status. Periodontal treatment significantly improved the clinical indices; however, biochemical parameters did not change after the treatment.

CONCLUSION

The association of hypertension with periodontitis through local salivary and GCF inflammatory mediators might be possible in disease process.

Assessment of Salivary Nitric Oxide Levels in Elite University Athletes in Japan: Findings From a Cross Sectional Study Design

Background

High-intensity exercise affects the level of salivary nitric oxide (NO) with an impact on oxidative stress such as a reactive nitrogen-oxide species. However, in athletes with high-intensity training, the relationship between salivary NO levels and oxidative stress is yet to be clear. Additionally, the association of salivary NO levels and the common health disorders of athletes is unknown. Thus, the aim of this cross-sectional study was to clarify the relationship between salivary NO levels and oxidative stress, and the health/medical disorders existing in elite class university athletes.

Methods

In 250 athletes (males, 151 and females, 99) from undergraduate levels of Japanese University, we investigated the relationship between levels of salivary NO and oxidative stress markers: derived reactive oxygen species (d-ROMs) and biological antioxidant potential (BAP), and also examined that whether salivary NO levels are associated with diseases.

Results

There were no significant association between the levels of salivary NO and oxidative stress markers (such as d-ROM and BAP). From the questionnaire, asthma was the most prevalent as evident from medical history of the athletes. Additionally, the salivary NO levels were higher (520 ± 43 µmol/L vs. 375 ± 13 µmol/L, P < 0.05) in the asthma group (n = 9) than in the non-asthma group (n = 241). We determined the optimal cut-off value (P = 0.019) of the salivary NO levels for asthma was 425 µmol/L, with a sensitivity of 88.9% and specificity of 61.8% (area under the curve (AUC), 0.73).

Conclusions

Our results suggest that the high levels of salivary NO in trained university athletes in Japan may potentially predict asthma. And this salivary NO level is not associated with markers of oxidative stress and existing diseases in athletes studied here.

Smoking and gingivitis: focus on inducible nitric oxide synthase, nitric oxide and basic fibroblast growth factor

BACKGROUND

Periodontal disease pathogenesis has been associated with smoking. Gingivitis is a mild and reversible form of periodontal disease and it tends to progress to periodontitis only in susceptible individuals. In the present study, we aimed to examine the impact of smoking on host responses in gingivitis and to evaluate and compare the inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) activity in gingival tissue and NO and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) levels in the gingival crevicular fluid of patients with gingivitis and healthy individuals.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Forty-one participants were assigned to the gingivitis-smoker (n = 13), gingivitis (n = 13), healthy-smoker (n = 7) and healthy groups (n = 8). Clinical indices were recorded; gingival biopsy and gingival crevicular fluid samples were obtained from papillary regions. iNOS expression was evaluated by immunohistochemical staining. The immunoreactive cells were semiquantitatively assessed. For the quantitative determination of nitrite and nitrate in gingival crevicular fluid, the NO assay kit was used. The amount of bFGF in gingival crevicular fluid was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

RESULTS

The gingivitis-smoker group demonstrated a stronger iNOS expression than the non-smoker gingivitis group. iNOS expression intensity was lower in the non-smoker healthy group compared to that in healthy-smokers. No significant gingival crevicular fluid NO and bFGF level changes were observed between groups. Among patients with gingivitis, a positive correlation was detected between gingival crevicular fluid NO and bFGF levels (r = 0.806, p = 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Our data suggest that smoking has significant effects on iNOS expression but not on gingival crevicular fluid NO or bFGF levels in healthy and patients with gingivitis. However, our results suggest that bFGF might be involved in the regulation of NO production via iNOS.