Anemia, hematinic deficiencies, and hyperhomocysteinemia in gastric parietal cell antibody-positive and -negative recurrent aphthous stomatitis patients

Authors

• Yu-Hsueh Wu, Department of Stomatology, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
• Yi-Ping Wang, Department of Dentistry, National Taiwan University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
• Yi-Pang Lee, Department of Dentistry, Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, Hualien, Taiwan
• Julia Yu-Fong Chang, Department of Dentistry, National Taiwan University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
• Andy Sun, Department of Dentistry, National Taiwan University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
• Chun-Pin Chiang, Department of Dentistry, National Taiwan University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, TaiwanFollow

Abstract

Background/purpose: Our previous study found the serum gastric parietal cell antibody (GPCA) positivity in 12.8% of 430 recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS) patients. This study assessed whether GPCA-positive RAS (GPCA⁺RAS) patients had significantly higher frequencies of macrocytosis, anemia, hematinic deficiencies, and hyperhomocysteinemia than healthy control subjects or GPCA-negative RAS (GPCAˉRAS) patients.

Materials and methods: The mean corpuscular volume, blood hemoglobin (Hb), and serum iron, vitamin B12, folic acid, homocysteine, and GPCA levels were measured and compared between any two of three groups of 55 GPCA⁺RAS patients, 375 GPCAˉRAS patients, and 430 healthy control subjects.

Results: We found that 55 GPCA⁺RAS patients had significantly higher frequencies of macrocytosis, blood Hb and serum iron and vitamin B12 deficiencies, and hyperhomocysteinemia than 430 healthy control subjects (all P-values < 0.001) and significantly higher frequencies of macrocytosis, serum vitamin B12 deficiency, and hyperhomocysteinemia than 375 GPCAˉRAS patients (all P-values < 0.05). Moreover, 375 GPCAˉRAS patients had significantly higher frequencies of macrocytosis, blood Hb and serum iron, vitamin B12, and folic acid deficiencies, and hyperhomocysteinemia than 430 healthy control subjects (all P-values < 0.005). Normocytic anemia (53.3%) and pernicious anemia (26.7%) were the two most common types of anemia in 15 anemic GPCA⁺RAS patients. Moreover, normocytic anemia (50.5%), iron deficiency anemia (26.9%), and thalassemia trait-induced anemia (10.8%) were the three most common types of anemia in 93 anemic GPCAˉRAS patients.

Conclusion: GPCA⁺RAS patients have significantly higher frequencies of macrocytosis, anemia, serum iron and vitamin B12 deficiencies, and hyperhomocysteinemia than healthy control subjects.

Recommended Citation

Wu, Yu-Hsueh; Wang, Yi-Ping; Lee, Yi-Pang; Chang, Julia Yu-Fong; Sun, Andy; and Chiang, Chun-Pin (2026) "Anemia, hematinic deficiencies, and hyperhomocysteinemia in gastric parietal cell antibody-positive and -negative recurrent aphthous stomatitis patients," Journal of Dental Sciences: Vol. 21: Iss. 4, Article 21.
Available at: https://jds.ads.org.tw/journal/vol21/iss4/21

Publication Date

2026

Received Date

August 1 2026

Accepted Date

August 5 2026