Prevalence of Glutathione-S-Transferase T and M Deletion Polymorphisms in Apical Periodontitis: a Two-Center Observational Study.

Abstract

<h4>Objectives</h4>The primary objective of this study was to examine the potential association between glutathione S-transferases (<i>GSTT1/GSTM1</i>) deletion polymorphisms and the development of apical periodontitis (AP) in a population of patients at two university centers: the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Banja Luka in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the School of Dental Medicine at the University of Belgrade in Serbia.<h4>Materials and methods</h4>The study involved 200 patients with AP in the experimental and 250 healthy individuals without AP in the control group. As a source of genomic DNA, sterile buccal swabs were taken from each patient. Genotyping of <i>GSTM1</i> and <i>GSTT1</i> deletion polymorphisms was conducted using multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). The risk of AP development with regard to the genotypes was evaluated based on odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) that were calculated via unconditional logistic regression.<h4>Results</h4>There were significant differences in demographic characteristics between the investigated groups (p = 0.446, p = 0.154, respectively). <i>GSTM1</i> and <i>GSTT1</i> deletions were associated with a 3.05-fold and 5.69-fold risk (OR = 3.05, 95% CI = 2.07-4.49, OR = 5.69, 95% CI = 3.66-8.86, p < 0.001, p < 0.001, respectively) for the AP development. The co-occurrence of both deletions posed a significantly higher risk for AP development (OR = 52.76. 95% CI = 18.20-152.94, P < 0.001).<h4>Conclusions</h4>The carriers of null <i>GSTT</i>, null <i>GSTM</i>, and double null <i>GSTT/GSTM</i> genotypes are more susceptible to AP development in the populations examined at the two centers.