Background: Several epidemiologic studies have identified a greater incidence of periodontitis in patients with type 2 diabetes. Recent developments suggest that local delivery of antimicrobials into periodontal pockets improve periodontal health. The present study is designed to investigate the adjunctive effects of subgingivally delivered azithromycin (AZM; 0.5% concentration) as an adjunct to scaling and root planing (SRP) for treating chronic periodontitis in patients with type 2 diabetes.
Methods: A total of 63 patients were categorized into two treatment groups: 1) group 1: SRP + placebo gel and 2) group 2: SRP + 0.5% AZM. Clinical parameters were recorded at baseline and 3, 6, and 9 months; they included modified sulcus bleeding index (mSBI), plaque index (PI), probing depth (PD), and clinical attachment level (CAL).
Results: Both therapies resulted in significant improvements. Using a patient-based analysis, patients in group 2 treated with SRP + 0.5% AZM showed enhanced reductions in PI, GI, mSBI, and PD and gains in CAL (P <0.05) over 9 months compared with group 1.
Conclusion: Although both treatment strategies seem to benefit the patients, the adjunctive use of 0.5% AZM as a controlled drug delivery system enhances the clinical outcome.
Keywords: Clinical trial; diabetes; inflammation; periodontitis.; root planing.