Benefits of early systemic antibiotics in localized aggressive periodontitis: a retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Treatment of localized aggressive periodontitis (LAP) may include systemic antibiotics, yet it is unclear at what stage of treatment planning antibiotics are most effective. AIM: This retrospective analysis compared immediate versus delayed antibiotic therapy on clinical parameters and gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) inflammatory mediators. MATERIAL AND METHODS: At baseline, 3 months and 6 months after treatment, clinical parameters [probing depth (PD), clinical attachment level (CAL), bleeding on probing (BoP) and plaque] and GCF were collected from LAP participants, who received a 7-day antibiotic regimen immediately (ImA) or 3 months following (DelA) mechanical therapy. RESULTS: Although both groups presented significant CAL reductions at 6 months, only ImA resulted in a reduction in mean PD at both 3 and 6 months, along with reductions in CAL and BoP at 3 months following therapy. In addition, GCF mediators were higher in DelA group at 3 months post mechanical treatment, but were significantly reduced 6 months following antibiotic therapy. CONCLUSIONS: ImA and DelA regimens were both effective in improving CAL by 6 months post therapy. However, ImA allowed for better improvement in overall clinical parameters early in the course of treatment, concomitant with lower levels of inflammatory mediators within the GCF.