Inflammatory markers in gingival crevicular fluid of periodontitis patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus according to glycemic control: A pilot study

BACKGROUND: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and periodontitis are inflammatory conditions with a bidirectional association. This pilot study aimed to evaluate whether T2DM and glycemic control interfere in inflammatory markers profiles in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) in periodontitis patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fourteen diabetic periodontitis patients were enrolled in this study, seven with adequate glycemic control (glycated hemoglobin [HbA1c] <8.0%) (DMA + P) and seven with inadequate control (HbA1c ≥8.0%) (DMI + P). Seven chronic periodontitis patients without diabetes formed the control group (P). GCF was obtained from diseased sites (probing depth >6 mm) of an entirely hemiarch, pooled and cytokines levels determined using multiplex beads immunoassay. Clinical periodontal parameters were analyzed by Mann-Whitney test and levels of cytokines by Kruskal-Wallis and Dunn's multiple comparison tests with confidence level of 95% (P < 0.05). RESULTS: Cytokines profile of GCF obtained from deep periodontal pockets presented high levels of inflammatory cytokines, and there were no statistical differences between levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-8 and tumor necrosis factor-α according to presence of diabetes or percentage of HbA1c among the groups, despite groups with T2DM and periodontitis exhibit higher levels of PD. CONCLUSION: Within the limitations of this study, inflammatory mediators in GCF are dependent to the local response and do not correlate with the diabetic status.