ABSTRACT
Objective: The aim of this case–control study was to compare patients with a healthy peri-implant
environment and patients affected by peri-implantitis, evaluating the occurrence of
antibodies to extracellular matrix (ECM) molecules. The authors hypothesized the presence
of ECM autoantibodies in serum of peri-implantitis patients. Materials and Methods: Patients were divided into two groups: one with dental implants with a diagnosis
of peri-implantitis and one control group with implants classified as being “healthy.”
Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was performed on patients' sera to detect human
antibodies to type I, III, IV, and V collagens, laminin, and fibronectin. Fisher exact
test was performed to evaluate statistical association, with a significant P < 0.05. Results: Forty-two patients were enrolled in this study, 27 females (64.28%) and 15 males
(35.72%) with a mean age of 53 ± 29.69 years (age range 32–74). The presence of antibodies
to CIII was recorded in 6/21 (28.57%) patients of test group, compared to just 2/21
(9.52%) for the control group, showing a statistically significant difference (P < 0.05). Other antibodies tested were found to be not statistically significant or
absent. Conclusions: Within the limitations of this study, it can be concluded that further studies, with
larger sample and different design, are necessary to address the research purpose,
evaluating possible associations between anti-ECM antibodies and peri-implantitis.
Key words:
Collagen - enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay - extracellular matrix - peri-implantitis
