In order to improve tissue integration, the neck region of dental implants was coated with the biodegradable polymer poly (L-lactide) incorporating tetracycline, ibuprofen and the combination of both drugs using a solvent dip-coating process. Metallographic analysis, light microscopy and electron microscopy were used to detect the thickness range and the surface characteristics of the coatings. Cytotoxicity was evaluated using the tetrazolium colorimetric method with the fibroblast cell line L929. The in vitro drug release was measured in isotonic sodium chloride solution by UV spectroscopy. To explore if drug release is concentration-dependent, the total amount of drug was varied in the coating (20% wt, 30% wt and 40% wt). The results showed a continuous release of the embedded drugs in relevant dosage over a period of 6 months. In contrast to high tetracycline concentrations, high ibuprofen concentrations resulted in a decreased metabolic activity of the L929 fibroblasts.

27 subjects with active destructive periodontal diseases were treated by modified Widman flap surgery and systemic tetracycline and divided into 4 groups based on pre- and post-therapy hazard rates (% of sites losing greater than 3 mm of attachment in 1 year). Pre- and post-therapy hazard rates were respectively: group I (3 subjects) less than 4 and less than 4; group II (8 subjects) greater than 4 and less than 4; group III (3 subjects) less than 4 and greater than 4; group IV (refractory group of 13 subjects) greater than 4 and greater than 4. Baseline mean pocket depths and attachment loss of groups I and II subjects were less than groups III and IV subjects and exhibited less suppuration. 6 group IV subjects lost a total of 38 teeth after therapy, in contrast to no tooth loss in subjects in the other 3 groups. Redness, bleeding on probing, plaque levels and age did not differ among groups. Subjects in the 4 groups differed in the subgingival species to which they showed elevated serum antibody responses. Group IV subjects showed elevated responses to a select range of gram-negative species, including A. actinomycetemcomitans strains Y4 or ATCC 29523, F. nucleatum and B. intermedius. No subject in any of the other groups exhibited an elevated response to B. intermedius. The mean % of each species in all sampled sites, both before and after therapy, was computed for each subject. Subjects in groups III and IV (high post-therapy hazard rates) exhibited elevated mean levels of B. forsythus, F. nucleatum, S. intermedius, E. corrodens, and B. gingivalis.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

To monitor temporal trends and regional differences in antibiotic susceptibility, we measured the minimum inhibitory concentrations for penicillin G, ampicillin, tetracycline, and spectinomycin of 4405 pre-treatment gonococcal isolates from patients with uncomplicated gonorrhea. As compared to isolates studied in 1970-1971, recent United States isolates appeared equally sensitive to penicillin G and more sensitive to tetracycline. Relatively resistant strains were found throughout the country. We also studied 1974 patients, treated for uncomplicated gonorrhea according to the 1972 regimens recommended by the United States Public Health Service, to determine the relation between pretreatment minimum inhibitory concentrations and treatment results. For patients receiving the procaine penicillin-probenecid and ampicillin-probenecid regimens, minimum inhibitory concentrations to the treatment drugs were significantly higher in patients not cured than in those cured (P less than 0.01 fr penicillin and P less than 0.05 for ampicillin). In contrast, spectinomycin-treatment results appeared to be independent of the isolate's susceptibility to spectinomycin and other antibiotics.

Treatment with amoxicillin and omeprazole resulted in encouraging Helicobacter pylori eradication rates in pilot studies that included medium term follow up. These results were evaluated in a prospective, randomised and controlled study. Forty patients with active duodenal ulcer disease and H pylori colonisation of the gastric mucosa were randomly assigned to receive either omeprazole (20 mg twice daily) and amoxicillin suspension (500 mg four times daily) for two weeks (group I) or bismuth subsalicylate (600 mg three times daily), metronidazole (400 mg three times daily), tetracycline (500 mg three times daily), and ranitidine (300 mg in the evening) for two weeks (group II). Study medication was followed in both groups by a four week treatment course with 300 mg ranitidine up to the final examination. One patient from each group was lost to follow up. H pylori was eradicated in 78.9% of group I and 84.2% of group II (p = 1.00). All ulcers in patients on omeprazole plus amoxicillin healed but in the triple treatment group four patients had residual peptic lesions after six weeks (ulcer healing rate: 78.9%, p = 0.11). Complete pain relief occurred after a median duration of 1 day in group I and of 6 days in group II (p = 0.03). There were no major complications in either group but minor side effects were more frequently recorded in patients on triple therapy (63.2% v 15.8%, p < 0.01). In conclusion, two weeks of treatment with omeprazole plus amoxicillin is as good as triple therapy plus ranitidine in eradicating H pylori but seems better with regard to safety, pain relief, and ulcer healing. Thus, amoxicillin plus omeprazole should be recommended as the treatment of choice in eradicating H pylori in patients with duodenal ulcer disease.

The minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of Propionibacterium acnes in seventy-five acne patients receiving long-term antibiotic therapy demonstrated the emergence of resistant strains. The mean MIC in thirty-three patients receiving long-term tetracycline was four to five times higher than that found in control groups of acne patients not receiving antibiotic therapy and controls free of acne. The average MIC for erythromycin was more than 100 times higher in those receiving long-term antibiotic therapy. In a second group of sixty-two patients, the clinical course and number of P. acnes were correlated with the presence of "resistant strains" defined as P. acnes with a tenfold increase in MIC to tetracycline or erythromycin. Patients with resistant strains had higher counts of P. acnes and clinically were not doing as well as those with sensitive strains.

The purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy of scaling and root planing (S and RP) alone versus tetracycline fiber therapy used adjunctively with S and RP in the treatment of localized recurrent periodontitis sites in maintenance patients. A total of 113 patients receiving regular supportive periodontal therapy (SPT) were treated with whole mouth S and RP. Two non-adjacent sites in separate quadrants were selected in each patient for monitoring based on criteria that the sites were 5 to 8 mm deep and had a history of bleeding on probing. The chosen sites were randomly assigned to one of the two treatment groups. Probing depth (PD), bleeding on probing (BOP), and clinical attachment level (CAL) were measured at baseline and 1, 3, and 6 months. At 1, 3 and 6 months, adjunctive fiber therapy was significantly better in reducing PD (P < 0.05) and reducing BOP (P < 0.05) than S and RP alone. At 6 months, fiber therapy was significantly better in promoting clinical attachment gain (P < 0.05) than S and RP alone. Overall, these results indicate that fiber therapy significantly enhanced the effectiveness of S and RP in the management of localized recurrent periodontitis sites, in patients receiving regular supportive periodontal treatment.

The safety and efficacy of periodontal disease treatment by intrapocket placement of tetracycline (TC) fibers was investigated in a 60-day multicenter study conducted by selecting 4 sites in each subject with 6-10 mm pockets that bled on probing. Sites were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 test groups: TC fiber therapy, scaling, control fiber (fibers without drug), or untreated. TC fibers and control fibers were placed to fill the pocket and were maintained with a cyanoacrylate adhesive for 10(+/- 2) d. Scaling was performed for a minimum of 5 min under local anesthesia. Following initial tooth cleaning procedures, pocket depth, attachment level and bleeding on controlled-force probing were measured at baseline and at 30 d, and 60 d following therapy. Analysis of data from 107 subjects who had complete clinical data sets indicated that TC fiber therapy significantly decreased pocket depth, increased attachment level, and decreased bleeding on controlled-force probing to a greater extent than observed in all other test groups including scaling. These effects were greater than, and in addition to, effects that occurred due to prophylaxis and improved home care. No serious adverse side-effects attributed to TC fiber therapy were observed. No TC fiber-treated sites abscessed and superinfection was not noted. A transient redness at fiber removal was seen at 21% of the sites. Although fibers were placed without anesthesia, mild pain on initial placement was infrequent (19%) and abated rapidly. The results indicate that TC fiber placement provides a safe and effective means for treatment of periodontal infections.

From 1978 to 1985 96 patients with their first spontaneous pneumothorax were randomised into three groups, receiving either treatment with simple drainage (34 patients), drainage with tetracycline pleurodesis (33 patients), or drainage with talc pleurodesis (29 patients). There were 58 men and 38 women, aged 18-88 years. There was no significant difference between the three groups in the mean time in hospital or the period for which the drains were retained. The incidence of infection, persistent pneumothorax, and relapse while in hospital was also similar for the three groups. At follow-up in 1987-89 patients could be accounted for, with an average follow-up period of 4.6 years. The incidence of recurrence was 36% in the simple drainage group, 13% in the tetracycline pleurodesis group, and 8% in the talc pleurodesis group. The difference between the talc and simple drainage groups was significant. None of the methods caused severe short or long term side effects or changes in the follow-up chest radiograph. Thoracoscopy, performed on admission in 85 patients, showed normal appearances in 73 patients and small cysts in 12. The thoracoscopic findings were of no value in predicting recurrence. Talc pleurodesis resulted in a significantly lower recurrence rate than simple drainage, tetracycline pleurodesis having intermediate efficacy.

64 sites with probing pocket depth greater than or equal to 6 mm from 11 patients were treated with plaque control instruction and one episode of root planning. Subsequently, selected sites in each patient were irrigated with either chlorhexidine, tetracycline, saline or served as non-irrigated control sites. Irrigation immediately followed instrumentation, and was repeated every 2 weeks for 24 weeks. Healing was monitored at 8, 16, and 24 weeks clinically and at 7, 15, and 23 weeks with subgingival washings for determination of % as well as total number of spirochetes. The following changes were apparent from comparing pooled site means at 24 weeks with pretreatment data:(1) bleeding sites decreased from 62 of 64 sites initially to 22 of 64 at 24 weeks;(2) spirochetes decreased from 34% to 2%;(3) probing pocket depths decreased from 7.6 to 4.7 mm;(4) probing attachment levels showed a gain of 1.2 mm. The improvement of the chlorhexidine and tetracycline irrigated sites was similar to that of the saline irrigated and non-irrigated control sites. Thus, biweekly chlorhexidine, tetracycline or saline irrigation of deep pockets did not appear to augment the effects of non-surgical periodontal therapy.