Role of hemoglobin and serum iron in oral submucous fibrosis: a clinical study.
BACKGROUND
Oral submucous fibrosis is a chronic, insidious oral mucosal condition affecting the most parts of the oral cavity with high malignant transformation rate triggered by areca nut chewing, nutritional deficiencies, immunologic processes, and genetic predisposition. OSF causes significant hematological abnormalities resulting in anemia and a decrease in serum iron levels.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to estimate the hemoglobin and serum iron levels among patients with oral submucous fibrosis and to compare the values with healthy subjects.


METHODS
In this hospital-based study 30 diagnosed patients of OSMF and 15 healthy individuals were included, and the values of hemoglobin and serum iron levels were estimated using Sahli's and Ferrene methods.


RESULTS
OSMF patients showed significantly lower levels of hemoglobin and serum iron when compared with the healthy subjects.


CONCLUSIONS
The findings of the study emphasizes on the assessment of hemoglobin and serum iron for patients with oral submucous fibrosis. Also iron therapy should be instituted concomitantly with the initial diagnosis which helps to cease the further progression of the condition. Further extensive studies are indicated to understand the correlation between OSMF and iron deficiency.
Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, Peoples College of Dental Sciences and Research Centre, Bhanpur, Bhopal, Madhya, Pradesh 462037, India. hegdekarthik28@yahoo.com
Hegde
H
Karthik
Preeti
P
Nair
Harshkant P
HP
Gharote
Kavita
K
Agarwal
Guruprasad
G
Ramamurthy Bhat
Divyashree
D
Kalyanpur Rajaram
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007501:Iron / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D009914:Oral Submucous Fibrosis / Q000097:blood*; D017678:Sex Distribution; D055815:Young Adult
D006454:Hemoglobins; D007501:Iron