The role of the oral microbiota in the causal effect of adjunctive antibiotics on clinical outcomes in stage III–IV periodontitis patients

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Sven Kleine Bardenhorst - , University of Münster (Author)
  • Daniel Hagenfeld - , University of Münster (Author)
  • Johannes Matern - , University of Münster (Author)
  • Karola Prior - , University of Münster (Author)
  • Inga Harks - , University of Münster (Author)
  • Peter Eickholz - , Goethe University Frankfurt a.M. (Author)
  • Katrin Lorenz - , Department of Dental Maintenance, Periodontology, TUD Dresden University of Technology (Author)
  • Ti Sun Kim - , Heidelberg University  (Author)
  • Thomas Kocher - , University of Greifswald (Author)
  • Jörg Meyle - , Justus Liebig University Giessen (Author)
  • Doğan Kaner - , Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Witten/Herdecke University (Author)
  • Yvonne Jockel-Schneider - , University of Würzburg (Author)
  • Dag Harmsen - , University of Münster (Author)
  • Benjamin Ehmke - , University of Münster (Author)

Abstract

Background: Periodontitis, a prevalent chronic inflammatory disease, offers insights into the broader landscape of chronic inflammatory conditions. The progression and treatment outcomes of periodontitis are closely related to the oral microbiota’s composition. Adjunctive systemic Amoxicillin 500 mg and Metronidazole 400 mg, often prescribed thrice daily for 7 days to enhance periodontal therapy’s efficacy, have lasting effects on the oral microbiome. However, the precise mechanism through which the oral microbiome influences clinical outcomes in periodontitis patients remains debated. This investigation explores the pivotal role of the oral microbiome's composition in mediating the outcomes of adjunctive systemic antibiotic treatment. Methods: Subgingival plaque samples from 10 periodontally healthy and 163 periodontitis patients from a randomized clinical trial on periodontal therapy were analyzed. Patients received either adjunctive amoxicillin/metronidazole or a placebo after mechanical periodontal treatment. Microbial samples were collected at various intervals up to 26 months post-therapy. Using topic models, we identified microbial communities associated with normobiotic and dysbiotic states, validated with 86 external and 40 internal samples. Logistic regression models evaluated the association between these microbial communities and clinical periodontitis parameters. A Directed Acyclic Graph (DAG) determined the mediating role of oral microbiota in the causal path of antibiotic treatment effects on clinical outcomes. Results: We identified clear distinctions between dysbiotic and normobiotic microbial communities, differentiating healthy from periodontitis subjects. Dysbiotic states consistently associated with below median %Pocket Probing Depth ≥ 5 mm (OR = 1.26, 95% CI [1.14–1.42]) and %Bleeding on Probing (OR = 1.09, 95% CI [1.00–1.18]). Factors like microbial response to treatment, smoking, and age were predictors of clinical attachment loss progression, whereas sex and antibiotic treatment were not. Further, we showed that the oral microbial treatment response plays a crucial role in the causal effect of antibiotic treatment on clinical treatment outcomes. Conclusions: The shift towards a normobiotic subgingival microbiome, primarily induced by adjunctive antibiotics, underscores the potential for microbiome-targeted interventions to enhance therapeutic efficacy in chronic inflammatory conditions. This study reaffirms the importance of understanding the oral microbiome's role in periodontal health and paves the way for future research exploring personalized treatment strategies based on individual microbiome profiles.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Article number220
JournalMicrobiome
Volume12
Issue number1
Publication statusPublished - Dec 2024
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

PubMed 39462428
ORCID /0000-0002-0228-6140/work/172085793

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Keywords

  • Antibiotic treatment, Clinical attachment loss, Clinical outcomes, Directed acyclic graphs, Dysbiosis, Microbial communities, Normobiotic, Oral microbiota, Periodontitis, Subgingival plaque