The Effect of Adjunctive Low‐Dose Doxycycline Therapy on Clinical Parameters and Gingival Crevicular Fluid Matrix Metalloproteinase‐8 Levels in Chronic Periodontitis

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Abstract
Background: Low‐dose doxycycline (LDD) is recognized to have non‐antimicrobial properties that can therapeutically modulate the host response. The aim of the present randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled, parallel‐arm study was to examine the effectiveness of LDD in combination with non‐surgical periodontal therapy, compared to non‐surgical periodontal therapy alone, on gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) matrix metalloproteinase‐8 (MMP‐8) levels and clinical parameters over a 12‐month period in patients with chronic periodontitis. Methods: GCF samples were collected, and clinical parameters including probing depth (PD), clinical attachment level, gingival index (GI), and plaque index were recorded. Thirty chronic periodontitis patients were randomized either to a low‐dose doxycycline (LDD) or placebo group. The LDD group received lowdose doxycycline (20 mg) b.i.d. for 3 months plus scaling and root planing (SRP), while the placebo group was given placebo capsules b.i.d. for 3 months plus SRP. The patients were evaluated every 3 months during the 12‐month study period. At each visit, all clinical measurements and GCF sampling were repeated. GCF MMP‐8 levels were determined by a time‐resolved immunofluorescence assay. Intragroup comparisons were tested by the Friedman test followed by Wilcoxon signed‐rank test to analyze significance of changes over time. The Mann‐Whitney test was used to determine differences between the LDD and placebo groups. Results: Significant improvements were observed in all clinical parameters in both groups over the 12‐month period (P P P P J Periodontol 2004;75:106‐115.