Estimation and comparative evaluation of serum follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) levels in different age groups of post-menopausal women with and without chronic periodontitis: A clinico-biochemical-radiological study

Abstract

Introduction: Menopause is the period when there is cessation of ovarian secretion of estrogen and progesterone. As a woman attains menopause, there is rapid bone loss which is believed to average approximately 2% to 3% over the following 5 to 10 years, and is greatest in the early post-menopausal years. A crucial regulator of reproductive physiology expressed by gonadotrophs in the anterior pituitary is follicle stimulating hormone which plays a critical role in modulating pro-inflammatory mediators and increases the risk of osteoporosis in post-menopausal women by causing osteoclast differentiation. Materials & Methods: 60 postmenopausal women were selected who were aged between 45 and 65 years were divided into two groups: -Group I: 30 postmenopausal women (aged between 45-54 years) Group II: 30 postmenopausal women (aged between 55-56 years) Each of the above groups were further divided into two subgroups i.e., 15 healthy subjects and 15 subjects with chronic periodontitis. Serum FSH was estimated using the chemiluminescence technique after collection of blood from the anterior cubital vein and clinical parameters such as plaque index, gingival index, probing depth and clinical attachment loss were assessed for each patient. Intraoral periapical radiographs were taken of three different intraoral sites i.e., 11 & 21, 36 & 37 and 46 & 47. Results: The results that there was an overall non-significant negative correlation between serum follicle stimulating hormone and periodontal parameters in the age group of 45-54 years of post-menopausal women. Conclusion:The present study suggests that postmenopausal women with chronic periodontitis had a lower FSH level as compared to healthy subjects suggesting that FSH level does not directly correlate with the severity of periodontal disease or alveolar bone loss and increasing age alone can be a determinant of periodontal disease.