SITE-SPECIFIC ALKALINE-PHOSPHATASE LEVELS IN GINGIVAL CREVICULAR FLUID IN HEALTH AND GINGIVITIS - CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDIES

Using a recently developed chemiluminescent assay enabling alkaline phosphatase (ALP) quantification in nanolitre volumes of gingival crevicular fluid (GCF), we have investigated GCF ALP levels in health and in the presence of gingivitis. In gingival health, there was a site-specific pattern of ALP concentration with higher enzyme concentrations around the upper and lower anterior teeth. Furthermore, clinically normal sites that had been subjected to different levels of plaque control produced significantly different ALP levels, (p < 0.03). This indicates that biochemical components of GCF may be used to measure subclinical inflammatory status. The ratio of GCF to serum ALP varied from 6:1 to 11:1, suggesting that a major source of the enzyme is through local production. The main cross-sectional study of 30 patients with gingivitis (276 sites) demonstrated that total GCF ALP levels, collected over a 30-s sampling time were higher for a gingival index of 1 than of 0 (p < 0.014). There was no significant relationship between total GCF ALP and plaque levels of the enzyme, and analysis of plaque within the study group demonstrated very low levels of ALP, indicating that the enzyme is likely to be largely derived from the periodontal tissues. The ratio of GCF ALP levels to those of saliva within individuals was 530:1, thereby eliminating saliva contamination as a risk, when total GCF ALP is being measured.