Evaluation of the Correlation between Serum Vitamin C and Iron Levels in Individuals with Oral Submucous Fibrosis (OSMF)

Background- In recent years, OSMF has received considerable attention as a precursor to cancer and occurs in younger age group individuals. Oral submucous fibrosis (OSF) is a potentially malignant disorder that causes fibrosis and inflammation of the oral mucosa. Aim- To study the correlation between Serum Vitamin C and Iron levels in OSMF individuals. Methods- This prospective study was conducted on forty patients seeking treatment for Oral submucous fibrosis. Same number of healthy individuals (controls) were also selected. Detailed history of all study subjects was recorded. Levels of Vitamin C and Iron were estimated in venous blood by standard methods. Results- OSMF group showed significantly lower levels of serum Vitamin C and Iron. Mean values of serum Vitamin C and Iron of control group were (1.06 0.12 mg/dl) and (148.24 18 g/dl) respectively whereas in OSMF group the values were (0.3 0.20 mg/dl) and (101.06 15 g/dl) respectively. Conclusion- Various factors associated with the use of areca nut along with the Vitamin C and Iron deficiency may act as risk for developing Oral submucous fibrosis.