BackgroundThe relationship between humans and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) is a persistent concern due to their widespread sources and high evaporation rates. However, there is currently limited direct evidence linking VOC exposure to the development of periodontitis.MethodsThis cross‐sectional study analyzed 1525 participants and 21 urinary VOCs in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 2011 to 2014, aiming to investigate the relationship between periodontitis risk, assessed by attachment loss (AL) and probing depth (PD) and individual VOCs using logistic regression, quantile regression, and subgroup analysis. Weighted quantile sum analysis (WQS) and subgroup analysis were utilized to evaluate whether VOC mixtures were associated with periodontitis risk. Multiple linear regression models were used to examine the association between VOC co‐exposure and peripheral immune cell counts. A mediation analysis was performed to evaluate whether peripheral immune cells are involved in the effect of VOC co‐exposure on periodontitis prevalence.ResultsUrinary levels of 2‐aminothiazoline‐4‐carboxylic acid, mandelic acid, and N‐acetyl‐S‐(4‐hydroxy‐2‐butenyl)‐L‐cysteine were positively associated with the risk of periodontitis after adjusting for all covariates. The WQS models demonstrated a positive correlation between the mixture of VOCs and the risk of periodontitis, wherein 2‐aminothiazoline‐4‐carboxylic acid emerged as the most important contributor. The mediation analysis suggested that monocytes may play a role in the observed association between VOC co‐exposure and the prevalence of periodontitis.ConclusionsExposure to VOCs is associated with a greater prevalence of periodontitis. Monocytes' mediating role plays a crucial function in the association between the risk of periodontitis and co‐exposure to VOCs.Plain language summaryVolatile organic compounds (VOCs) are chemicals that evaporate quickly and are found all around us—from paints to cleaning products. Understanding how these compounds affect our health is crucial, especially regarding conditions like periodontitis, a common oral chronic inflammatory disease. In our study, we looked at urine samples from 1525 people who participated in a national health survey between 2011 and 2014 to find out if there is an association between VOC exposure and the risk of developing periodontitis. We found that certain chemicals in the urine, which show VOC exposure, were indeed associated with a greater risk of the disease. We further investigated the collective impact of these VOCs on the risk of periodontitis, revealing that certain chemicals exert a more significant influence than their counterparts. Additionally, our research hints at a potential role for monocytes in the interplay between VOCs and the risk of periodontitis. Our data suggest that exposure to VOCs could be associated with a greater likelihood of periodontitis, with monocytes potentially playing a role in this relationship. This study helps us better understand the potential health impacts of daily chemical exposure and underscores the importance of investigating further how our environment affects our health.

中文翻译：

---

免疫细胞在挥发性有机化合物与牙周炎之间的中介作用：NHANES 2011-2014


背景由于挥发性有机化合物 （VOC） 来源广泛且蒸发率高，人类与挥发性有机化合物 （VOC） 之间的关系一直令人担忧。然而，目前将 VOC 暴露与牙周炎的发展联系起来的直接证据有限。方法这项横断面研究分析了 1525 年至 21 年全国健康与营养检查调查 （NHANES） 中的 2011 名参与者和 2014 种尿液 VOCs，旨在调查牙周炎风险之间的关系，通过依恋丧失 （AL） 和探诊深度 （PD） 评估）与个体 VOCs使用 logistic 回归、分位数回归和亚组分析。加权分位数和分析 （WQS） 和亚组分析用于评估 VOC 混合物是否与牙周炎风险相关。使用多元线性回归模型检查 VOC 共暴露与外周免疫细胞计数之间的关联。进行中介分析以评估外周免疫细胞是否参与 VOC 共同暴露对牙周炎患病率的影响。结果在调整所有协变量后，尿液中 2-氨基噻唑啉-4-羧酸、扁桃酸和 N-乙酰-S-（4-羟基-2-丁烯基）-L-半胱氨酸水平与牙周炎风险呈正相关。WQS 模型表明 VOCs 的混合物与牙周炎风险呈正相关，其中 2-氨基噻唑啉-4-羧酸成为最重要的贡献者。中介分析表明，单核细胞可能在观察到的 VOC 共暴露与牙周炎患病率之间的关联中发挥作用。结论 VOCs 暴露与牙周炎患病率较高有关。 单核细胞的介导作用在牙周炎风险与共同暴露于 VOC 之间的关联中起着至关重要的作用。了解这些化合物如何影响我们的健康至关重要，尤其是对于牙周炎（一种常见的口腔慢性炎症性疾病）等疾病。在我们的研究中，我们查看了 1525 年至 2011 年间参加全国健康调查的 2014 人的尿液样本，以了解 VOC 暴露与患牙周炎的风险之间是否存在关联。我们发现尿液中某些显示 VOC 暴露的化学物质确实与患该疾病的风险增加有关。我们进一步调查了这些 VOC 对牙周炎风险的集体影响，揭示了某些化学物质比它们的对应物产生更显着的影响。此外，我们的研究暗示了单核细胞在 VOCs 与牙周炎风险之间的相互作用中的潜在作用。我们的数据表明，暴露于 VOCs 可能与患牙周炎的可能性更大有关，单核细胞可能在这种关系中发挥作用。这项研究有助于我们更好地了解日用化学品暴露对健康的潜在影响，并强调进一步调查环境如何影响我们健康的重要性。