Differentiation of Chronic and Aggressive Periodontitis by FTIR Spectroscopy

Area of Science:

• Biochemistry
• Spectroscopy
• Periodontology

Background:

• Differentiating chronic periodontitis (CP) and aggressive periodontitis (AgP) is challenging without longitudinal data.
• Both CP and AgP are negatively impacted by tobacco use.
• Accurate diagnosis is crucial for effective, personalized treatment strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy for distinguishing CP and AgP patients via saliva analysis.
• To assess the influence of smoking on spectral signatures for disease differentiation.
• To confirm smoking status using salivary cotinine analysis.

Main Methods:

• Collected FTIR spectra from CP (n=18) and AgP (n=23) patients, including smokers and non-smokers.
• Analyzed spectral band areas and performed hierarchical cluster analysis.
• Validated smoking status with salivary cotinine levels and measured thiocyanate concentrations.

Main Results:

• Significant differences in lipid, amino acid, lactic acid, and nucleic acid content were observed between non-smoker CP and AgP groups.
• Smokers with AgP showed lower levels of lipids, phospholipids, proteins, amino acids, lactic acid, and nucleic acids compared to non-smokers.
• Smokers with CP also exhibited reduced phospholipid, protein, amino acid, and lactic acid content versus non-smokers.
• FTIR successfully discriminated between CP and AgP in both smoker and non-smoker groups.
• Salivary thiocyanate levels differentiated smokers from non-smokers with 100% accuracy, irrespective of periodontal status.

Conclusions:

• FTIR spectroscopy of saliva can effectively differentiate between CP and AgP.
• Smoking significantly alters salivary biochemical profiles in periodontitis patients.
• Combining FTIR analysis with salivary cotinine and thiocyanate measurements allows for accurate diagnosis and smoking status determination, enabling personalized periodontal treatment.