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ARTICLE
Year : 2011  |  Volume : 9  |  Issue : 6  |  Page : 616-621

Screening Pregnant Women for Periodontitis by Analysing Salivary Alkaline Phosphatase and Lactate Dehydrogenase


1 Department of Periodontics, A.B.Shetty Memorial Institute of Dental Sciences, Deralakatte, Mangalore-575018, India
2 Dept of Biochemistry, K.S.Hegde Medical Academy, Mangalore, India

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Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None


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Aim: To develop a test for the screening of pregnant women for periodontitis using saliva prior to a dental examination. Methods: A cross-sectional research design was employed. Whole unstimulated saliva was collected from 100 pregnant women prior to a dental examination. Levels of activity of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) in the saliva were measured. The data were compared with Community Periodontal Index of Treatment Needs (CPITN) scores. The diagnostic performance of LDH and ALP was determined in terms of sensitivity, specificity, and the area under receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curves. Results: Of the 100 pregnant women surveyed 10% were healthy, 35% had gingivitis and 55% had periodontitis. When a cut-off value of 515 IU/L for LDH and of 120 IU/L for ALP, as determined by a ROC analysis, were applied, periodontitis was detected significantly more frequently in the pregnant women whose activity levels were above these cut-off marks. Also the area under ROC curve indicated that LDH level is a better predictor for periodontal status (sensitivity 85.5%) than ALP level (sensitivity 81.8%).LDH level of 515 unit is the optimal cut off point for the prediction of periodontitis status (Sensitivity 85.5%, Specificity 93.3% and over all Accuracy 89%). Conclusion: Both LDH and ALP levels can be used for the purpose of screening as there is a significant activity of both the enzymes during periodontal diseases.


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