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. AIM 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. MATERIALS AND 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. CONCLUSION 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.