Hematological study of patients with aphthous stomatitis

Objectives A study was made of the association between recurrent aphthosis ( RAS ) and iron, ferritin, vitamin B 12, 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 B 12 deficiencies should be assessed in all patients with RAS .