Salivary growth factors in patients with chronic periodontitis

Aim. To determine the clinical value of the growth factors concentration in the oral fluid in patients with mild chronic periodontitis.

Methods. A prospective study including 30 patients with chronic periodontitis and 20 healthy volunteers was conducted. The diagnosis was made based on standard clinical and radiological criteria. Nerve growth factor β (NGF-β), hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), epidermal growth factor (EGF), vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A), platelet-derived growth factor BB (PDGF-BB) were determined in oral fluid samples by using multiparametric fluorescence analysis with magnetic microspheres (xMAP technology, Luminex 200, USA). Statistical analysis was performed using nonparametric measures: median (Me) and interquartile range (Q1, Q3). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was used to determine the clinical value of the parameters.

Results. The chronic periodontitis was accompanied by an increase in the level of nerve growth factor-β by 2.2 times, epidermal growth factor by 3 times, vascular endothelial growth factor A by 1.9 times (p <0.05) compared with the control. The platelet-derived growth factor BB concentration did not change. Using the ROC analysis, diagnostic sensitivity and diagnostic specificity of the studied parameters were determined: 89.1 and 91.1% for nerve growth factor β, 92.3 and 96.1% for epidermal growth factor, 87.1 and 95.3% for vascular endothelial growth factor A, respectively.

Conclusion. Salivary growth factors (nerve growth factor β, epidermal growth factor, vascular endothelial growth factor A) can be considered as potential biomarkers of mild chronic periodontitis.