Effect of non-surgical therapy on plasma C-reactive protein levels in patients with periodontitis: A single arm prospective clinical trial

Background: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of scaling and root planing (SRP) on levels of plasma C-reactive protein (CRP). Methods: A total of 30 patients with advanced periodontitis as determined by Clinical Periodontal Sum Score (CPSS) were recruited. Venous whole blood samples were drawn to obtain serum samples from all participants at baseline and 1 month after SRP (post-SRP). High-sensitivity CRP (hs-CRP) was measured by highly sensitive immunoturbidimetric assay. Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used for data analysis. Spearman rank correlation analysis was conducted to test the correlations between CPSS and hs-CRP at baseline and post-SRP. Results: There was a statistically significant reduction in the post-SRP CPSS values from the baseline values (z = 4.783, p < 0.0001). Similarly, there was a statistically significant reduction in the post-SRP hs-CRP levels from the baseline levels (z = 4.782, p < 0.0001). Moreover, there was positive association between the baseline levels of CPSS and hs-CRP (ρ = 0.5703) and the post-SRP values of CPSS and hs-CRP (ρ = 0.7507). Conclusion: The present study suggests that SRP can significantly reduce the levels of CRP.