Anemia, hematinic deficiencies, and hyperhomocysteinemia in burning mouth syndrome patients with thyroglobulin antibody/thyroid microsomal antibody positivity but without gastric parietal cell antibody positivity

Background/purpose: Our previous study found that 222 of 884 burning mouth syndrome (BMS) patients have thyroglobulin antibody (TGA) positivity and/or thyroid microsomal antibody (TMA) positivity but without gastric parietal cell antibody positivity (GPCAˉTGA⁺/TMA⁺BMS patients). This study mainly assessed whether the serum TGA/TMA positivity was significantly associated with anemia, hematinic deficiencies, and hyperhomocysteinemia in GPCAˉTGA⁺/TMA⁺BMS patients. Materials and methods: The complete blood count, iron, vitamin B12, folic acid, and homocysteine levels were measured and compared between 222 GPCAˉTGA⁺/TMA⁺BMS patients and 553 GPCA-negative, TGA-negative, and TMA-negative BMS patients (GPCAˉTGAˉTMAˉBMS patients) or 442 healthy control subjects. Results: We found that 222 GPCAˉTGA⁺/TMA⁺BMS patients had significantly lower mean corpuscular volume (MCV) and lower blood Hb and serum iron levels than 442 healthy control subjects and significantly lower MCV and lower serum homocysteine levels than 553 GPCAˉTGAˉTMAˉBMS patients. Moreover, 222 GPCAˉTGA⁺/TMA⁺BMS patients had significantly greater frequencies of microcytosis, macrocytosis, blood Hb and serum iron deficiencies, and hyperhomocysteinemia than 442 healthy control subjects and significantly higher frequency of microcytosis but significantly lower frequency of hyperhomocysteinemia than 553 GPCAˉTGAˉTMAˉBMS patients. However, no significant differences in the frequencies of macrocytosis, blood Hb, serum iron, vitamin B12, and folic acid deficiencies were discovered between 222 GPCAˉTGA⁺/TMA⁺BMS patients and 553 GPCAˉTGAˉTMAˉBMS patients. Conclusion: We conclude that the disease of BMS itself does play a significant role in causing macrocytosis, anemia, hematinic deficiencies, and hyperhomocysteinemia in GPCAˉTGA⁺/TMA⁺BMS patients. However, the serum TGA/TMA-positivity is not significantly associated with anemia and serum iron, vitamin B12, and folic acid deficiencies in GPCAˉTGA⁺/TMA⁺BMS patients.