Plasma elaidic acid level is associated with periodontal health in American adults: A cross-sectional study

BackgroundWhether there is an association between TFAs and periodontitis is unclear. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between moderate/severe periodontitis and plasma level of elaidic acid, a major trans-fatty acid component, in American adults. MethodsThe National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) years 2009-2010 were used to screen a total of 1,610 people. The independent variable of interest is plasma elaidic acid level, the dependent variable is periodontitis, and the covariates include socio-demographic variables, lifestyle variables, systemic diseases, etc. The distribution of variables in the covariate differences between the different independent groups according to tertile was investigated using a multiple linear regression model. To examine the association between plasma elaidic acid levels and moderate/severe periodontitis, three models were used. ResultsMultiple logistic regression analysis showed a significant association between plasma elaidic acid level and moderate/severe periodontitis after adjustment for potential confounders (OR = 1.021, 95%CI: 1.004-1.039, P = 0.01394). Subjects with the highest tertile of plasma elaidic acid levels were 51.9% more likely to have periodontitis compared with subjects with the lowest tertile of plasma elaidic acid levels (OR = 1.519, 95% CI: 1.136-2.030, P = 0.00477). No possible sources of heterogeneity were identified in the subgroup analyses. ConclusionPlasma elaidic acid levels are associated with periodontal disease in American adults.

Automated summary

This study found an association between plasma elaidic acid levels and periodontal disease in American adults, with individuals having higher levels of plasma elaidic acid being more likely to have periodontitis.