Peroxidase is the most important antioxidant enzyme in saliva. Through peroxidation of thiocyanate in<br />the presence of H2O2, peroxidase catalyses the formation of bacteriocidic compounds such as hypothiocyanate.<br />The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of chronic alcohol intoxication and smoking on the activity<br />of oral peroxidase (OPO). A total of 37 volunteers participated in the study. This cohort consisted of 17 male<br />alcohol-dependent smoking patients after chronic alcohol intoxication (AS group, alcohol + smoking) (mean<br />age: 42 years; range: 26–55) (100–700 g/day of alcohol; 10–20 cigarettes/day) and 20 control male social drinkers<br />(CNS group, control non-smokers) with no history of alcohol abuse or smoking (mean age: 42 years; range:<br />30–53). Salivary peroxidase activity was measured by the colorimetric method. The differences between groups<br />were evaluated using the Mann–Whitney U test. There was significantly higher activity of OPO (p = 0.00001)<br />and significantly lower salivary flow (SF) (p = 0.007) in alcohol-dependent smokers after chronic alcohol intoxication<br />compared to the control group. OPO activity significantly correlated with the number of days of alcohol<br />intoxication, but not with smoking. Gingival index (GI) was significantly higher in smoking alcohol-dependent<br />persons than in the control group, and correlated with OPO activity. The sensitivity of the OPO test was 70% in<br />smoking alcoholics, while specificity was 95%. The increased activity of OPO suggests chronic oxidative stress is<br />more likely due to ethanol action than to smoking. Smoking alcohol-dependent persons have a worse periodontal<br />status than controls. OPO activity as a marker of chronic alcohol abuse may help in the diagnosis of alcoholism.
Peroxidase is the most important antioxidant enzyme in saliva. Through peroxidation of thiocyanate in<br />the presence of H2O2, peroxidase catalyses the formation of bacteriocidic compounds such as hypothiocyanate.<br />The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of chronic alcohol intoxication and smoking on the activity<br />of oral peroxidase (OPO). A total of 37 volunteers participated in the study. This cohort consisted of 17 male<br />alcohol-dependent smoking patients after chronic alcohol intoxication (AS group, alcohol + smoking) (mean<br />age: 42 years; range: 26–55) (100–700 g/day of alcohol; 10–20 cigarettes/day) and 20 control male social drinkers<br />(CNS group, control non-smokers) with no history of alcohol abuse or smoking (mean age: 42 years; range:<br />30–53). Salivary peroxidase activity was measured by the colorimetric method. The differences between groups<br />were evaluated using the Mann–Whitney U test. There was significantly higher activity of OPO (p = 0.00001)<br />and significantly lower salivary flow (SF) (p = 0.007) in alcohol-dependent smokers after chronic alcohol intoxication<br />compared to the control group. OPO activity significantly correlated with the number of days of alcohol<br />intoxication, but not with smoking. Gingival index (GI) was significantly higher in smoking alcohol-dependent<br />persons than in the control group, and correlated with OPO activity. The sensitivity of the OPO test was 70% in<br />smoking alcoholics, while specificity was 95%. The increased activity of OPO suggests chronic oxidative stress is<br />more likely due to ethanol action than to smoking. Smoking alcohol-dependent persons have a worse periodontal<br />status than controls. OPO activity as a marker of chronic alcohol abuse may help in the diagnosis of alcoholism.