title: Serum levels of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in patients with periodontal disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids omega-3 and omega-6 (LC-PUFA n-3 and n-6) can function as important inflammatory modulators and also have a strong effect in the proresolving inflammatory processes. The aim of the authors is to analyze the serum levels of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosapentaenoic acid (DPA), and arachidonic acid (AA) in patients with generalized chronic periodontitis (GCP) and compare these results with serum levels of patients with gingivitis only.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-one patients with untreated GCP (mean age: 46.0 ± 8.8 years) and 16 patients with gingivitis only (mean age: 31.5 ± 7.5 years) were investigated. The clinical examination included probing depth (PD), clinical attachment level, bleeding on probing, and plaque index. Blood samples were analyzed for the presence of DHA, EPA, DPA, and AA using gas chromatography.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significantly higher levels of DHA, DPA, EPA, and AA were observed in patients with GCP when compared with patients with gingivitis (P = 0.007, P = 0.004, P = 0.033, and P = 0.001, respectively). The differences were still significant even after the adjustments for age and sex. The PD showed a significant positive correlation with DHA (r = 0.5; P = 0.003), DPA (r = 0.6; P <0.001), and AA (r = 0.6; P <0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present findings suggest that serum levels of LC-PUFA n-3 and n-6 may be affected by the severity of periodontal disease.
authors: Department of Periodontology, Rio de Janeiro State University, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. cmfigueredo@hotmail.com
authors: Carlos Marcelo
authors: CM
authors: Figueredo
authors: Gisele L
authors: GL
authors: Martinez
authors: Josely C
authors: JC
authors: Koury
authors: Ricardo G
authors: RG
authors: Fischer
authors: Anders
authors: A
authors: Gustafsson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D055113:Chronic Periodontitis / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D004032:Diet; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D043371:Fatty Acids, Omega-6 / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005396:Fish Products; D005891:Gingivitis / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
chemical_list: D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D043371:Fatty Acids, Omega-6; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated