International Journal of Health Sciences & Research (www.ijhsr.org) 115 Vol.7; Issue: 1; January 2017 International Journal of Health Sciences and Research www.ijhsr.org ISSN: 2249-9571 Original Research Article Novel Diagnostic and Prognostic Immunological Markers for Chronic Periodontitis in Makkah Community Ibtesam K. Afifi, Ebtehal A. Hamdy Department of Basic & Clinical Oral Sciences, College of Dentistry, Umm Al-Qura University, KSA. Corresponding Author: Ibtesam K. Afifi Received: 30/11/2016 Revised: 17/12/2016 Accepted: 26/12/2016 ABSTRACT The Aim: Investigating the role of Pentraxin-3 in comparison to tumor necrosis factor- α as a diagnostic and prognostic marker for chronic periodontitis. Methods: Pentraxin-3 and tumor necrosis factor- α levels were measured by Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay for Gingival Crevicular Fluid samples of 53 chronic periodontitis patients before and after periodontal treatment as well as from 50periodontally healthy subjects as a control group. Differences between both groups regarding clinical parameters and tested biomarkers were assessed and correlations between them were calculated. Results: The mean values of periodontal parameters were significantly reduced after treatment. Mean Pentraxin-3 and tumor necrosis factor- α levels were higher in chronic periodontitis patients than in the control group with a significant difference between both groups. Furthermore, these levels were reduced after treatment with a highly statistically significant difference. Positive correlations between the mean values of both markers levels, and clinical parameters were found whereas, Pentraxin-3 was more positively correlated. Conclusion: As Pentraxin-3 is more positively correlated with clinical parameters of chronic periodontitis than tumor necrosis factor- α, it could be a better diagnostic and prognostic marker for the disease. However, further large-scale studies on both genders are recommended to confirm their role as prognostic markers. Keywords: Chronic Periodontitis, Gingival Crevicular Fluid, Inflammatory mediators, Pentraxin-3, Tumor necrosis factor- α. INTRODUCTION Chronic periodontitis (CP) is a microbial infection caused by a disproportion in the virulence factors of micro-organisms and host defense mechanisms, resulting in an immune- inflammatory response that can cause destruction of the periodontium. 1 Data on the prevalence of periodontitis; depending on how the disease is defined and the age group from which they were taken, concluded that 5% to 15% of any population suffers from chronic periodontitis. 2 However accurate data on the periodontal status of people in the Arab world are scarce with very limited number of published studies about Saudi Arabia. 3 The chronic periodontitis inflammatory process is in harmony by a system of cytokines and chemokines. 4 After periodontal micro-organism gets into the connective tissue, the acute-phase proteins are formed in response to the