Amoxicillin and metronidazole as an adjunctive treatment in generalized aggressive periodontitis at initial therapy or re-treatment: a randomized controlled clinical trial

J Clin Periodontol. 2011 Jan;38(1):43-9. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-051X.2010.01632.x. Epub 2010 Nov 10.

Abstract

Background: Previously, we showed that systemic metronidazole and amoxicillin significantly improved the outcomes of non-surgical debridement in generalized aggressive periodontitis patients. This study aimed to observe whether re-treatment with adjunctive antimicrobials would give the placebo group benefits comparable with the test group.

Methods: Thirty-eight of 41 subjects, from the initial 6-month trial, completed the second phase, re-treatment of sites with remaining pockets 5 mm. Subjects on placebo in phase one, received adjunctive antibiotics for 7 days. Clinical parameters were collected at 2 months posttreatment (8 months from baseline).

Results: Patients who received antibiotics at initial therapy, showed statistically significant improvement in pocket depth reduction and in the % of sites improving above clinically relevant thresholds, compared with patients who received antibiotics at re-treatment. In deep pockets (7 mm), the mean difference was 0.9 mm (p=0.003) and in moderate pockets (4-6 mm) it was 0.4 mm (p=0.036). For pockets converting from 5 to 4 mm, this was 83% compared with 67% (p=0.041) and pockets converting from 4 to 3 mm was 63% compared with 49% (p=0.297).

Conclusions: At 8 months, patients who had antibiotics at initial therapy showed statistically significant benefits compared with those who had antibiotics at re-treatment.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Administration, Oral
  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aggressive Periodontitis / drug therapy*
  • Amoxicillin / administration & dosage
  • Amoxicillin / therapeutic use*
  • Analysis of Variance
  • Anti-Infective Agents / administration & dosage
  • Anti-Infective Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Chemotherapy, Adjuvant
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Linear Models
  • Male
  • Metronidazole / administration & dosage
  • Metronidazole / therapeutic use*
  • Periodontal Debridement
  • Retreatment
  • Single-Blind Method
  • Statistics, Nonparametric
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Anti-Infective Agents
  • Metronidazole
  • Amoxicillin