Impact of Endodontic Treatment on CRP Levels in Apical Periodontitis: A Prospective Observational Cohort Study
Abstract
1. Introduction
2. Methods
2.1. Sampling and Patient Selection
2.2. Blood Collection
2.3. Blinding Considerations
2.4. Root Canal Treatment or Retreatment
3. Results
3.1. Baseline Characteristics
3.2. Reduction in CRP Levels After Endodontic Treatment
3.3. Comparison Between SAP and AAP
3.4. Influence of Age and Sex
3.5. Sensitivity Analyses
Clinical Relevance
4. Discussions
5. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
References
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| Category | Criteria |
|---|---|
| The Inclusion Criteria | ASA I patients: ASA I refers to patients classified by the American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status Classification System as healthy individuals with no systemic disease, non-smokers, minimal alcohol use, and normal BMI [19]. |
| Presence of apical periodontitis (symptomatic or asymptomatic) diagnosed per AAE guidelines | |
| One tooth requiring endodontic treatment or retreatment with pulpal diagnoses: symptomatic/asymptomatic irreversible pulpitis, pulp necrosis, or previously treated. The inclusion of these pulpal diagnoses was necessary because the primary focus of this study was on the condition of the periapical tissues (symptomatic or asymptomatic apical periodontitis), not the pulpal status. This approach ensured that all cases had apical involvement regardless of pulp condition | |
| Clearance of periodontal and gingival inflammation by a general dentist: This criterion was included to eliminate the potential confounding effects of periodontal disease on CRP levels, as periodontal inflammation is known to significantly influence systemic inflammatory markers [20]. | |
| The Exclusion Criteria | Patients with systemic disease |
| Normal periapical region (radiographically intact periapical tissues), referring to radiographically intact periapical tissues without any signs of radiolucency, as assessed according to AAE guidelines. | |
| Recent hospitalization within the past 24 months | |
| Moderate or severe marginal periodontal disease | |
| Antibiotic or corticosteroid use within the previous 3 months: The three-month exclusion period was chosen to minimize residual systemic effects of antibiotics and corticosteroids on inflammatory markers such as CRP. Evidence indicates that CRP levels typically normalize within 6–8 weeks after cessation of anti-inflammatory or antimicrobial therapy, and some studies recommend a conservative window of up to three months to ensure complete washout [21,22]. | |
| Medications affecting bone metabolism (e.g., bisphosphonates, SSRIs, HRT) | |
| Smokers | |
| Pregnant women | |
| Obesity | |
| Refusal to provide blood samples | |
| Inability to attend follow-up appointments |
| Group | CRP Before (mg/L) | CRP After (mg/L) | Mean Difference (mg/L) | p-Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SAP | 6.99 | 2.01 | 4.98 | <0.001 |
| AAP | 5.40 | 1.64 | 3.76 | <0.001 |
| Variable | p-Value | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| Age | >0.05 | Not a significant predictor |
| Sex | >0.05 | Not a significant predictor |
| Group | PAI Score (Mean ± SD) | N | Std Error Mean |
|---|---|---|---|
| AAP | 2.67 ± 1.040 | 78 | 0.118 |
| SAP | 2.78 ± 1.033 | 222 | 0.068 |
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Al akam, H.; Abduljawad, A.A.; Abozor, B. Impact of Endodontic Treatment on CRP Levels in Apical Periodontitis: A Prospective Observational Cohort Study. J. Clin. Med. 2025, 14, 8929. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm14248929
Al akam H, Abduljawad AA, Abozor B. Impact of Endodontic Treatment on CRP Levels in Apical Periodontitis: A Prospective Observational Cohort Study. Journal of Clinical Medicine. 2025; 14(24):8929. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm14248929
Chicago/Turabian StyleAl akam, Hussain, Asaad Abdulrahman Abduljawad, and Basel Abozor. 2025. "Impact of Endodontic Treatment on CRP Levels in Apical Periodontitis: A Prospective Observational Cohort Study" Journal of Clinical Medicine 14, no. 24: 8929. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm14248929
APA StyleAl akam, H., Abduljawad, A. A., & Abozor, B. (2025). Impact of Endodontic Treatment on CRP Levels in Apical Periodontitis: A Prospective Observational Cohort Study. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 14(24), 8929. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm14248929

