Hydrogen peroxide and superoxide anion production by polymorphonuclear neutrophils in patients with chronic periapical granuloma, before and after surgical treatment

Chronic periapical granuloma represents a localized tissue injury with well established signs of systemic immunological reactions. The aim of the study was to investigate changes in superoxide anion and hydrogen peroxide production by polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN) in patients with chronic periapical granuloma before and after surgical treatment. The affected teeth were extracted from 20 patients with chronic periapical lesions. Blood samples were obtained at admission, before extraction and on day 14. PMNs were isolated from blood samples and superoxide anion (O2–) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) production were estimated without stimulation and after stimulation of the cells with opsonized zymosan. Similar procedures were performed with blood samples obtained from 20 healthy controls. Superoxide anions as well as hydrogen peroxide production by unstimulated cells obtained from patients before treatment were significantly higher in comparison with controls. Fourteen days after extraction O2– production by unstimulated cells was higher than the controls and significantly lower in comparison to PMNs obtained before treatment, while H2O2 production was not significantly higher when compared to controls and significantly lower in comparison with PMNs obtained before extraction. The results obtained strongly imply the termination of a generalized inflammatory response after elimination of local inflammation by tooth extraction.