The "cyclic" regimen of low-dose doxycycline for adult periodontitis: A preliminary study
The current preliminary study describes the clinical results of a "cyclic" six-month regimen of low-dose doxycycline (LDD) and its effect on GCF collagenase activity in a limited number of adult periodontitis subjects.
The study was a double-blind, placebo-controlled study using 16 patients. Patients underwent prebaseline evaluations for clinical parameters and collections of GCF. After scaling and prophylaxis, the patients resumed for baseline evaluations remeasuring the previous clinical parameters and GCF. Group I patients took low-dose doxycycline twice per day from zero to two months, then no drug from two to four months, then LDD again twice per day (20 mg per capsule). Group II was asked to take the placebo according to the same "cyclical" regimen. Each patient was telephoned biweekly as a reminder to take the medication and assure compliance.
No significant differences between the LDD and placebo-treated groups were observed for plaque index and gingival index. Attachment levels, probing depth and GCF collagenase activity, and alpha-1-PI degradation were all positively and significantly affected by the drug regimen.
The results suggest that LDD inhibits tissue destruction in the absence of either antimicrobial or significant anti-inflammatory efficacy. Further, long-term LDD could be a useful adjunct to instrumentation therapy in the management of the adult periodontitis patient. [D.S.S.]
Crout, R., H. Lee, K. Schroeder, H. Crout, N. Ramamurthy, M. Wiener, and L. Golub, J Periodont, 67:506, 1996