Salivary levels of last generation specific pro‐resolving lipid mediators (SPMs) (protectin and maresin) in patients with cardiovascular and periodontal disease: A case‐control study

Abstract

Periodontal disease and cardiovascular disease (CVD), which are both deemed to be triggered by inflammation, are recognized as public health problems. Evidence of host modulation via pro-resolving lipid shown in previous studies supports a two-way relationship between periodontitis and CVD. Last generation endogenous specific pro-resolution lipid mediators (SPMs) such as protectins (PDs) and maresins (MaRs) may have potential effects on inflammatory pathogenesis via activation and resolution mechanisms. Currently, there are no data on SPM levels in patients with CVD and periodontal disease. We aimed to evaluate salivary levels of PD and MaR in patients with CVD and periodontal disease. At total of 181 individuals comprising of 79 healthy controls (C) and 102 patients with diagnosed CVD were included cross-sectionally. Unstimulated total salivary samples were obtained, and clinical periodontal parameters were determined. Salivary levels of PD and MaR were evaluated by ELISA. The periodontal status of the study population was classified as gingivitis (g) or periodontitis (p). Patients with CVD showed lower sociodemographic characteristics, increased clinical periodontal parameters (p<.05), decreased salivary PD (p<.001), and increased salivary MaR levels (p>.05). In the CVDg group, leukocyte, hemoglobin, hematocrit, and high-density lipoprotein values were higher (p<.05). The CVDp group had a higher neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (p<.05). While the PD level was highest in the Cg group, MaR was highest in the CVDp group. The salivary levels of PD and MaR were independent of other confounders in CVD and periodontal disease (p>.05). PDs and MaRs may play effective roles in pathogenesis associated with worsening cardiometabolic and periodontal status. These SPMs could also be predictors for conversion from a healthy (systemically and periodontally) to diseased state (CVD and/or periodontitis). Elucidation of the role of SPMs in the relationship between periodontal disease and CVD will enable the development of new host modulation strategies in the prevention and treatment of both diseases, and may also constitute an important public health step by increasing the quality of life of patients with CVD and periodontal disease.