Hematinic deficiencies and anemia statuses in recurrent aphthous stomatitis patients with or without atrophic glossitis

Background/Purpose Some of recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS) patients had concomitant atrophic glossitis (AG). This study assessed whether RAS patients with AG (AG+/RAS patients) or without AG (AG−/RAS patients) had anemia and hematinic deficiencies and to evaluate whether RAS combined with AG or RAS itself was a significant factor causing anemia and hematinic deficiencies in AG+/RAS or AG−/RAS patients, respectively. Methods The mean corpuscular volume (MCV) and mean blood hemoglobin (Hb), iron, vitamin B12, and folic acid levels were measured and compared between any two of three groups of 160 AG+/RAS patients, 195 AG-/RAS patients, and 355 healthy control subjects. Results Both AG+/RAS and AG−/RAS patients had significantly lower mean Hb, iron, and vitamin B12 levels as well as significantly greater frequencies of Hb, iron, vitamin B12, and folic acid deficiencies than healthy control subjects. Moreover, AG+/RAS patients had significantly lower mean Hb and serum iron level (for women only) and significantly greater frequencies of Hb and iron deficiencies than AG−/RAS patients. Of 69 anemia AG+/RAS patients, 30 (43.5%) had normocytic anemia and 23 (33.3%) had iron deficiency anemia. Of 38 anemia AG−/RAS patients, 26 (68.4%) had normocytic anemia and 5 (13.2%) had iron deficiency anemia. Conclusion We conclude that some of AG+/RAS or AG−/RAS patients do have anemia and hematinic deficiencies and AG+/RAS patients do have severer anemia statuses and iron deficiency than AG−/RAS patients. RAS combined with AG or RAS itself does play a significant role in causing anemia and hematinic deficiencies in AG+/RAS or AG−/RAS patients, respectively.