Lipid-lowering agents use and systemic and oral inflammation in overweight or obese adult Puerto Ricans: the San Juan Overweight Adults Longitudinal Study (SOALS).

Abstract

The effects of lipid-lowering agents (LLA) on reducing systemic and oral inflammation have not been evaluated. To assess the association of LLA use with high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and oral inflammation. Cross-sectional analysis using baseline data from 1300 overweight/obese participants aged 40-65years, recruited for the ongoing San Juan Overweight Adults Longitudinal Study. Serum hs-CRP was measured by ELISA, gingival/periodontal inflammation was evaluated as bleeding upon probing (BOP), and LLA was self-reported. Separate logistic models were performed for systemic and oral inflammation. In all, 24% participants reported history of dyslipidaemia, of which, 50.3% self-reported LLA use. Sixty percent of the participants had elevated hs-CRP (>3mg/dl) and 50% had high BOP (defined as at or above the median: 21%). After adjusting for age, gender, smoking, HDL-C, physical activity, diabetes, blood pressure medications, and percent body fat composition, LLA users had significantly lower odds of elevated hs-CRP compared to LLA non-users (OR=0.58; 95% CI: 0.39-0.85). After adjusting for age, gender, smoking status, educational level, mean plaque index and percent body fat, LLA users had significantly lower odds of high BOP compared to LLA non-users (OR=0.62; 95% CI: 0.42-0.91). Lipid-lowering agents may reduce both systemic and oral inflammatory responses.