Estimation of interleukin-1β levels in the gingival crevicular fluid in health and in inflammatory periodontal disease

Initial research indicated that the levels of interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) are higher in sites of inflammation than in healthy sites. However, subsequent studies suggest heterogenous responses and indicate the quantitative levels of IL-1beta to be the characteristic of an individual rather than simply being the reflection of the inflammatory status of the tissues. This study has been designed to find out the relationship between IL-1beta levels in the gingival crevicular fluid and the inflammatory status of the periodontal tissues in the Indian population. Sixty patients were selected for the study. They were categorized in to three groups based on their periodontal tissue status as group I (clinically healthy gingiva with no loss of attachment), group II (gingivitis with no attachment loss) and group III (gingivitis with attachment loss). Microcapillary pipettes were used to collect gingival crevicular fluid samples from one site in each person and the samples were analysed for IL-1beta using a commercially available ELISA kit. The concentration of IL-1beta in the gingival crevicular fluid of patients in group III is statistically higher (P < 0.0001) than that in group II and the concentration of IL-1beta in groups II and III is statistically at much higher levels (P < 0.0001) than in the group I subjects. However, there is a significant overlap in the values obtained in groups II and III and the values in both the groups range over a wide spectrum. The composite values obtained within the groups and the overlapping values in groups II and III could indicate the role of genetic polymorphism in determining the quantity of IL-1beta produced and also the contributory role of other cytokines that share similar biologic activity.