The purpose of this study was to assess the correlation between iron deficiency and recurrent aphthous ulceration (RAU). Radioimmunoassay was used to examine the serum ferritin level (SFL) in 52 patients with RAU and in 54 controls. Both were divided into 2 groups in accordance with sex. The 36 female patients were subdivided into 3 age-groups as follows: 8 aged 22-24, 10 aged 25-34, and 18 aged 35-50 while the male patients were gathered as one single group aged 26-57. The subdivision was adapted similarly for the normal age-grouts. Although no significant difference in SFL was found between the male control and the male patient groups, differences between the female control and female patient groups showed highly significant which levels, with the ascendance of age, were P0.001, P0.005 and P0.001, respectively. Also the difference between male and female control groups were significant (P0.05). However, no significant differences in SFL were discovered among the 3 patient groups. 10 female patients with SFL12ng/ml were tested with ferrous sulfate for one month, then their SFL was reexamined one week after the treatment. A highly significant difference in SFL was noted between the pre-ad post-treatment (P0.001). 9 of them showed that the interval of recurrences were prolonged, the number of ulcers reduced, the pain less intensive and its duration shorter than those before the treatment. This study demonstrated that a singificant decrease in iron-storage occurred in female RAU patients. The authors concluded that the decrease SFL was possibly related to menstruation and child bearing.
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