Gingival crevicular fluid prostaglandin E2 level as a predictor of preterm low birth weight: a pilot investigation

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Periodontal infections, which serve as a reservoir of inflammatory mediators such as prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), may pose a threat to the fetal-placental unit and cause preterm delivery. This study was conducted to estimate the levels of PGE2 in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) and serum to explore the possible use of the GCF-PGE2 level as a risk predictor of preterm low birth weight (PLBW). Twenty-two pregnant female patients were selected for the study. Samples of GCF and serum were collected from each patient, and sampling was repeated at one month after parturition. The level of PGE2 in GCF and serum was estimated using a commercially available ELISA kit (NeogenTM). The mean serum PGE2 level was 4.4 ng/ml and 1.64 ng/ml before and after parturition, respectively, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.001). The mean GCF-PGE2 level was 5.8 ng/ml and 5.5 ng/ml before and after parturition, respectively, but the difference was not significant. There was positive correlation between the serumPGE2 and GCF-PGE2 levels, and there was a negative correlation between PGE2 level and gestational age. The present findings suggest that there is a weak correlation between maternal GCF-PGE2 level and birth outcome. Further clinical trials with a larger sample size are warranted for further investigation of the association between GCF-PGE2 level and PLBW. (J Oral Sci 53, 293-300, 2011)