Evaluation of salivary Lipoxin A4 levels in healthy gingiva and across different stages of periodontitis

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate and compare salivary Lipoxin A4 (LXA4) levels in periodontally healthy individuals and patients across different stages of periodontitis, and to assess its potential role as a biomarker for disease progression. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted involving three groups: periodontally healthy individuals (n = 30), patients with stage I–II periodontitis (n = 30), and patients with stage III–IV periodontitis (n = 30). Unstimulated whole saliva samples were collected from all participants. Salivary LXA4 levels were quantified using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Intergroup comparisons were performed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by post hoc testing to identify significant differences among groups. Results: Salivary LXA4 levels were significantly higher in periodontally healthy individuals compared to those with periodontitis. A progressive decrease in LXA4 levels was observed with increasing severity of periodontal disease, with the lowest levels detected in stage III–IV periodontitis patients. Conclusions: Salivary Lipoxin A4 levels decrease with the progression of periodontitis, reflecting impaired resolution of inflammation. LXA4 may serve as a promising non-invasive biomarker for distinguishing periodontal health and assessing disease severity, with potential implications for early diagnosis and monitoring.