Active and β‐1 Proteinase Inhibitor Complexed Leukocyte Elastase Levels in Crevicular Fluid From Patients With Periodontal Diseases

H uman leukocyte elastase is present in large amounts in the crevicular fluid of patients with periodontal disease and was considered as a putative biological marker of the evolution of such diseases. The aim of this work was to measure spectrophotometrically amounts of active elastase (AE) and elastase complexed to α 1 proteinase inhibitor (E‐α 1 ‐PI) in gingival crevicular fluid obtained from patients suffering from rapidly progressive periodontitis (RPP group) or adult periodontitis (AP group) with different probing depths (3 to 5 mm and > 6 mm). AE and E‐α 1 ‐PI concentrations were negligible in healthy individuals. AE, but not E‐α 1 ‐PI, concentration appears to vary significantly with the probing depth in patients suffering either from rapidly progressive or adult periodontitis. No correlations were found between levels of AE and E‐α 1 ‐PI in the different groups of patients. AE concentration seems to be a marker of periodontal diseases in relation with probing depth. J Periodontol 1997;68:256–261 .