Vitamin D Levels in Children With Recurrent Aphthous Stomatitis

Ear Nose Throat J. 2020 Aug;99(7):460-463. doi: 10.1177/0145561319882783. Epub 2019 Oct 20.

Abstract

Background: Recurrent aphthous stomatitis is one of the most prevalent oral mucosa diseases and the etiology is unclear. As a potent anti-inflammatory and immunomodulating agent, vitamin D can significantly affect oral cavity homeostasis. However, to the best of our knowledge, no study has been conducted in pediatric population on the potential role of vitamin D in recurrent aphthous stomatitis to date. The aim of the present study is to determine the vitamin D status in recurrent aphthous stomatitis in children.

Methods: This study is conducted retrospectively. Seventy-two patients with minor recurrent aphthous stomatitis and 70 age-matched healthy controls included in the study. 25-Hydroxyvitamin D levels were measured in all patients using enzyme immunoassay.

Results: Serum vitamin D levels were 16.4 (8.6) ng/mL in patient group and 23.1 (11.5) ng/mL in healthy controls. There was a statistically significant difference between the groups in terms of serum vitamin D levels (P = .002). There was no significant correlation between serum vitamin D levels and the severity of the recurrent aphthous stomatitis (r = 0.54, P = .76).

Conclusions: Our study showed a significant difference in vitamin D levels between patients with recurrent aphthous stomatitis and the healthy control group. We also found no correlation between vitamin D status and the severity of the disease.

Keywords: children; oral diseases; recurrent aphthous stomatitis; vitamin D.

Publication types

  • Evaluation Study

MeSH terms

  • Case-Control Studies
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Nutritional Status*
  • Recurrence
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Stomatitis, Aphthous / blood*
  • Stomatitis, Aphthous / etiology
  • Vitamin D / analogs & derivatives*
  • Vitamin D / blood
  • Vitamin D Deficiency / blood
  • Vitamin D Deficiency / complications

Substances

  • Vitamin D
  • 25-hydroxyvitamin D