A possible association of alpha1-antitrypsin deficiency with the periodontal condition in adults

Alpha1-antitrypsin (alpha1AT) is a serum inhibitor of several neutrophil-derived proteolytic enzymes, the serine proteinases. In certain individuals, a deficiency of this enzyme inhibitor is present, whereby only 10 to 20% of the normal concentration is present in the circulation. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of this alpha1AT deficiency on the periodontal condition in a case control study. 10 patients aged 20-50 years with a mean age of 32 and showing a deficiency of alpha1AT were randomly selected from a national data bank, which contains persons known to be affected with the alpha1AT deficiency state. Control subjects were matched for age, gender and socio-economic status. Full periodontal charting on all subjects was performed on 6 sites per tooth, including probing attachment level, probing depth, bleeding on probing and a plaque score. Analysis of the data revealed no differences with regard to attachment loss between the two groups. The deficiency group showed 9.3% pockets > or =5 mm and the matched control group 5.9%. When these results were covariated with plaque scores, the deficiency group appeared to have a higher number of sites with probing depths > or =5 mm.