Hematological study of patients with aphthous stomatitis.

OBJECTIVES: A study was made of the association between recurrent aphthosis (RAS) and iron, ferritin, vitamin B12, and folic acid deficiency.

METHODS: A total of 186 adults were consecutively recruited: 92 subjects with RAS (28 males and 64 females, with a mean age of 41 years) and 94 controls (20 men and 74 women, with a mean age of 44 years), and subjected to clinical and hematological evaluation.

RESULTS: The overall frequency of hematinic deficiencies was 14.14% in the RAS group versus 6.39% in the control group (P = 0.086). Patient age and a family history of aphthosis were associated to the presence of RAS.

CONCLUSION: There is still no conclusive evidence relevant to the etiopathogenesis of RAS. Routine hematological screening and tests for serum iron, folic acid, and vitamin B12 deficiencies should be assessed in all patients with RAS.