Molecular biomarkers for objective assessment of symptomatic pulpitis: A systematic review and meta‐analysis

BACKGROUND: Inflammatory biomarkers are potentially useful targets for pulpal diagnostic tests that can identify pulp status and predict vital pulp treatment (VPT) outcome, however, their accuracy is unknown. OBJECTIVES: (1) Calculate sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) of previously investigated pulpitic biomarkers; (2) Determine if biomarker levels discriminate between clinical diagnoses of pulpitis based on the presence or absence of spontaneous pain (3) Evaluate if biomarker level can predict VPT outcome. METHODS: Searches: PubMed/MEDLINE, Ovid SP, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP), ClinicalTrials.gov, Embase, Web of Science and Scopus in May 2023. INCLUSION: prospective and retrospective observational studies and randomized trials. Participants were humans with vital permanent teeth and a well-defined pulpal diagnosis. EXCLUSION: deciduous teeth, in vitro and animal studies. Risk of bias was assessed with modified-Downs and Black quality assessment checklist. Meta-analysis was performed using bivariate random effect model in Meta-DiSc 2.0 and RevMan and the quality of the evidence was assessed using Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation. RESULTS: Fifty-six studies were selected, reporting >70 individual biomolecules investigating pulpal health and disease at the gene and protein level. Most studies were of low and fair quality. Among the biomolecules investigated, IL-8 and IL-6 demonstrated a level of diagnostic accuracy with high sensitivity, specificity and DOR to discriminate between healthy pulps and those exhibiting spontaneous pain suggestive of IRP (low-certainty evidence). However, none was shown to have high DOR and the ability to discriminate between pulpitic states (very low certainty evidence). Limited data suggests high levels of matrix metalloproteinase 9 correlate with poorer outcomes of full pulpotomy. DISCUSSION: The inability of identified molecular inflammatory markers to discriminate between dental pulps with spontaneous and non-spontaneous pain should shift the focus to improved study quality or the pursuit of other molecules potentially associated with healing and repair. CONCLUSIONS: Low-quality evidence suggests IL-8 and IL-6 demonstrated level of diagnostic accuracy to discriminate between healthy pulps and those exhibiting spontaneous pain. There is a need for standardized biomarker diagnostic and prognostic studies focusing on solutions that can accurately determine the degree of pulp inflammation. REGISTRATION: PROSPERO CRD42021259305.