Blood profile of oral mucosal disease patients with both vitamin B₁₂ and iron deficiencies

Background/Purpose: Vitamin B₁₂ and iron deficiencies lead to macrocytosis [mean corpuscular volume (MCV)<100fL] and microcytosis (MCV<80fL), respectively. This study evaluated anemic status, MCV, serum homocysteine level, and serum gastric parietal cell antibody (GPCA) level in oral mucosal disease patients with both vitamin B₁₂ and iron deficiencies. Methods: The blood hemoglobin (Hb), iron, vitamin B₁₂, folic acid and homocysteine concentrations, MCV, and serum GPCA in 149 patients with both vitamin B₁₂ and iron deficiencies were measured and compared with the corresponding data in 149 age- and sex-matched healthy control subjects. Results: We found that 54 (36.2%), 16 (10.7%), 44 (29.5%), and 36 (24.2%) patients with both vitamin B₁₂ and iron deficiencies had Hb deficiency (men <13g/dL, women <12g/dL), folic acid deficiency (≤6mg/mL), abnormally high blood homocysteine level (>12.6μM), and serum GPCA positivity, respectively. Patients with both vitamin B₁₂ and iron deficiencies had a significantly higher frequency of Hb deficiency, abnormally elevated blood homocysteine level, and serum GPCA positivity than healthy control subjects (all p values<0.001). Of 149 patients with both vitamin B₁₂ and iron deficiencies, 10 (6.7%) had high MCV (<100fL), 108 (72.5%) had normal MCV (between 80fL and 99fL), and 31 (20.8%) had low MCV (<80fL). Conclusion: Approximately 73%, 30%, and 24% of patients with both vitamin B₁₂ and iron deficiencies are found to have normal MCV, abnormally high blood homocysteine level, and serum GPCA positivity, respectively.