Effects of topical doxycycline on serum prooxidant marker levels in periodontal disease: A pilot study

The aim of this study is to determine the changes in the serum levels of malondialdehyde and 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine, as indicators of oxidative stress, in response to periodontal treatment adyuvanted with topical doxycycline.
Methods: Thirty four patients with periodontal disease were studied (DOX group n=16; Control group n=18), determining the serum levels of malondialdehyde and 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine in urine at baseline and three months after non-surgical periodontal treatment.
Results: We observed a slight trend to decrease in 8-OHdG urine levels after periodontal treatment, being this decrease greater in the DOX group (t1: 9.64 ± 7.18 μg/g; t0: 9.84 ± 3.01 μg/g) than in the control group (t1: 8.79 ± 4.08 μg/g; t0: 8.82 ± 4.01 μg/g). However, these changes were not statistically significant. No changes in serum levels of MDA were observed after periodontal treatment. BOP was positively correlated with 8-OHdG, in the DOX group (r = 0.563, p = 0.018).
Conclusion: Periodontitis, as a local inflammatory disease, can cause an increase in oxidative stress, thus opening the way to new therapeutic strategies, while exploring novel strategies for modulating the host response.