Evaluation of Serum B12, Folic Acid, Iron, Ferritin, Total Iron Binding Capacity and Unsaturated Iron Binding Capacity in Patients with Recurrent Aphthous Stomatitis in Sulaimani City

Abstract

Background: Many studies have demonstrated that iron, folate, Serum ferritin, Total iron binding capacity

(TIBC), Unsaturated Iron Binding Capacity (UIBC), vitamin B1, B2, B6, B12 deficiencies occur in Recurrent

aphthous stomatitis (RAS. The aim of this study was to evaluate serum level of vitamin B12, folate, ferritin,

iron binding capacity, unsaturated iron binding capacity among patients with RAS.

Materials and Method

A cross sectional study carried out in Al-Sulaimani teaching center of dermatology for period from 1st

of March to the end of June, 2014 on 30 RAS patients and 30 healthy controls. Data were collected were

demographic information and results of haematinic investigations for selected patients. Data were analyzed

using software SPSS program version 17.

Findings: Mean age of RAS patients was 40±14 years. Male and female patients were equally distributed.

A significant difference was observed between patients and controls in family history of RAS (p<0.001).

Mean B12 level of RAS patients was

190.6±80.3Pgm/ml, there was a significant difference in means of B12 between patients and controls

(p=0.009). Mean serum folate level of the patients was 10.2±4.6 ngm/ml, there was a significant difference

in means of serum folate between patients and controls (p=0.01). Meanserum iron level was 55.5±18.8 µg/

dl, a significant difference was observed between patients and controls in means of serum iron (p<0.001).

No significant difference was observed between patients and controls in means of ferritin, TIBC and UIBC

(p>0.05).

Conclusions: Family history, serum B12 level, and serum iron are associated with RAS patients. It is

important to investigate vitamin B12, folate and iron deficiencies in patients with RAS.