FRI0237 OMEGA-3 AND OMEGA-6 FATTY ACIDS IN SJöGREN’S SYNDROME: CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS AND THEIR ASSOCIATION WITH INFLAMMATION

Background:Essential ω-3 and ω-6 fatty acids (FA) are natural modulators of inflammation activity; however, their role in primary Sjögren’s syndrome (pSS) is unknown.Objectives:To evaluate the intake and serum levels of ω-3 and ω-6 FA in patients with pSS, and to correlate them with ocular and oral signs and symptoms, disease activity as well as with the presence of a panel of inflammatory chemokines/cytokines in saliva and tears.Methods:We included 108 patients with pSS according to EULAR/ACG criteria. We excluded patients under ω-3 and ω-6 supplementation. Dietary information was obtained from a semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire of one-day reminder (applied by a trained interviewer), and processed using computerized nutritional analysis software. Fasting blood samples were collected. We measured the serum levels of ω-3 (α-linolenic acid [α-L], eicosapentaenoic acid [EPA], docosahexaenoic acid [DHA]) and ω-6 (linoleic acid [LA], arachidonic acid [AA]) using gas chromatography flame ionization. We assessed the ESSDAI score, ESPPRI, OSDI, tear film break-up time, Schirmer-I test and the SICCA Ocular Staining Score (OSS). In a subgroup of patients, we obtained tears and saliva samples that were frozen at -86°C until assayed. Once defrosted, the levels of CXCL8, CXCL10, CCL2, IL-22 and IL-21 in saliva and CXCL8, CXCL10, CCL2 and CXCL9 in tears were measured by Luminometry.Results:The median age was 56.12 ± 13.7 years, 94.4% women and median disease duration 10 years. The FA ω-3 and ω-6 intake was 0.43 g/day and 3 g/d, respectively. The levels of α-L were 6.6 μg/mL, DHA 26 μg/mL, total ω-3 (α-L +DHA) 25.4 μg/mL, LA 168.5 μg/mL, AA 34 μg/mL, and total ω-6 (LA+AA) 205 μg/mL. We did not find a correlation among serum levels and food intake. Thus, further analyses were focused on serum results. We found a negative correlation between α-L and the OSDI (ρ= -0.42, p= 0.01) and ESSDAI (ρ= -0.26, p=0.03) as well of DHA and ESSDAI (ρ= -0.30, p= 0.01). The rest of the variables were not associated. In tears, there was a positive correlation of AA and CXCL9 (ρ= 0.48, p= 0.04), whereas in saliva, we observed a negative correlation between α-L, DHA and total ω3 (α-L+DHA) with CCL2. We also observed a negative correlation between total ω6 (LA+AA) and IL-21, and the ω6/ω3 ratio with IL-22.Conclusion:Our pSS patients had deficient FA omega intake. We observed lower ocular symptoms, lower ESSDAI scores and salivary levels of CCL2 among patients with higher levels of FA ω-3. Our study suggest that low serum levels of ω-3 might be implicated in the perpetuation of chronic inflammation.Disclosure of Interests:None declared