Superinfecting microorganisms in patients under treatment with cyclosporin-A and its correlation to gingival overgrowth

the aim of this study was to identify the presence of superinfecting microorganisms (gram-negative enteric rods and candida sp.) in heart transplant patients and correlate this with gingival overgrowth. thirty patients (10 females, 20 males - mean age 45 years) were examined. all were under cyclosporin-a (csa) therapy. patients who had taken any antibiotics 3 months prior the study or had been submitted to periodontal therapy were not enrolled. patients were required to have at least 6 teeth. the plaque index (pi), gingival index (gi), pocket depth (pd) and clinical attachment level (cal) were recorded. microbiological samples were taken from sulcus/pocket (s/p) and from stimulated saliva (ss) and submitted to analysis. patients were divided into two groups: the ones with gingival overgrowth (go) and those without gingival overgrowth (wgo). after statistical analysis (chi-square test, student's t-test, fisher test, p < 0.05), we concluded that there was no statistical difference between groups in the parameters of gender, csa dosage, time since transplantation, pi, gi, pd and cal. gram-negative rods from either the sulcus/pocket or saliva samples were not found. candida sp. was detected (s/p - 30% and ss - 30%). stimulated saliva samples analysis determined that the presence of candida sp. was associated with patients without gingival overgrowth.