Effect of non-surgical periodontal therapy on the serum and crevicular fluid interleukin-10 levels in chronic periodontitis - A systematic review and meta-analysis

Objective: The objective of the study was to assess the effect of non-surgical periodontal therapy (NSPT) on the levels of anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin 10 (IL-10) in serum, gingival crevicular fluid (GCF), and saliva of chronic periodontitis patients. Methods: A comprehensive search was made on PubMed, Embase, and Scopus databases from Jan 2000 to Sep 2020. Three focused questions were addressed: Do GCF, serum, saliva and IL-10 levels change significantly after NSPT? Randomized and Non-Randomized clinical trials were included in the study. Results of the meta analysis are expressed as standardized mean differences and reported according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis guidelines. Results: A total of 709 studies were retrieved and 17 met the inclusion criteria for systematic review, whereas subgroup meta-analysis was performed on seven studies (GCF-5, serum-2). All studies included had low risk of bias. IL-10levelin GCF showed an increase at 3 months after NSPT with subsequent decrease at 6 months. However, increased serum IL-10 level at 6 months was seen after therapy. Conclusion: Within the limitations, there is moderate evidence that NSPT significantly alters the IL-10 levels in body fluids. IL-10 levels increased in GCF at 3 months whereas decrease was seen at 6 months. Increased IL-10 levels were seen in serum at 6 months.