Periodontitis is associated with altered plasma fatty acids and cardiovascular risk markers

Received 19 November 2008; received in revised form 27 February 2009; accepted 2 March 2009. published online 08 June 2009.

Abstract

Background and aims

In periodontitis it has been found that some perturbation exists in lipid biomarkers, such as increased serum total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Nevertheless, the relationship between fatty acids and periodontitis has been demonstrated only in a few studies and remains controversial. The aim of this investigation was to explore the effects of periodontitis on a cluster of traditional and novel cardiovascular risk factors such as plasma-lipids profile, types of plasma fatty acids, adhesion molecules and systemic inflammatory markers.

Methods and results

At a university dental school, 56 patients all over 35 years old were enrolled and invited to participate in the study. Total plasma fatty acids, saturated, n-6 polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids, peroxidability index, soluble VCAM, TNF-α, cholesterol, triacylglycerols, and VLDL-c were significantly higher in the periodontitis group compared to the non-periodontitis group.

Conclusions

This close association found between plasma triacylglycerols, LDL-c, saturated fatty acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids, total amount of fatty acids and coenzyme Q10 with some periodontal data such as periodontal probing depth, recession of the gingival margin and clinical attachment level (Pearson correlation between 0.3 and 0.6), leads to the conclusion that there is an inter-relationship between periodontitis, plasma fatty acids profile and the increase in metabolic risk factors for cardiovascular diseases.

Keywords: Antioxidants, Cardiovascular disease, Lipids, Coenzyme Q, VCAM-1, TNF-α

a Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology II, University of Granada, Granada, Spain

b Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology, Department of Physiology, University of Granada, Granada, Spain

c Institute of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Ancona, Italy

d Department of Periodontology, Facultad de Odontologia, University of Sevilla, Sevilla, Spain

e Institute of Microbiology and Biomedical Sciences, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Ancona, Italy

f University College London, London, UK

Corresponding author. Dpto de Bioquimica y Biologia Molecular II, Instituto de Nutrición y Tecnología de los Alimentos José Mataix Verdú. Centro de Investigaciones Biomédicas (CIBM), Universidad de Granada, Avenida del Conocimiento S/N 18071-Armilla (Granada), Spain. Tel.: +34 958 24 10 00x20315, 628489683.

PII: S0939-4753(09)00065-9

doi:10.1016/j.numecd.2009.03.003

9 of 12