Azithromycin : a new concept in adjuvant treatment of periodontitis

Abstract

In most patients periodontitisis successfully treated by scaling and root planing,but some studies have shown that certain sites continue to show periodontal tissued estruction despite conventional period-ontal therapy. To solve this problem, antibiotics may be administered as an adjuvant treatment. This includes azithromycin(AZM),which is effect iveagainstGram-negative aerobic and anaerobic bacteria and has along half-life in periodont alt issues. The purpose of the present s tudy was to determine the efficacy of azithromycinas an adjuvant treatment for periodontitis through are view of the literature in Medline,Lilacs and Scielo, combining the key words‘‘azithromycin’’,‘‘periodontal treatment’’and ‘‘periodontit is’’in both Portuguese and English languages. Tobeincluded, articles had to be clinical trials, randomized, controlled, double-blindorblind,an d published between 2001 and 2011. 70 articles were found,of which 12 were selected based on title and abstract. Most studie s used AZM as an adjuvant treatment for chronic periodont it is, usually in a single daily dose of 500mg over three days, and in dicated that AZM signific an tly reduced probing depth and in creased periodontal attachment when comparedt ocontrols. Further more,are duction in red and orange complex and anincrease in bacteria associated with healthy periodontal conditions were observed in subjects treated with AZM. It may be concluded that the use of AZM as an adjuvant treatment for periodontit is improves clinical and microbiological parameters when compared to conventional treatmental one.