THE ROLE OF IRON AND B-GROUP VITAMIN DEFICIENCY IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF ANGULAR CHEILITIS IN PREGNANT WOMEN

Аннотация

Angular cheilitis is a common inflammatory disease of the oral mucosa often associated with systemic deficiency conditions. Pregnancy is accompanied by an increased demand for iron and B-group vitamins, the deficiency of which may contribute to inflammatory lesions in the corners of the mouth. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of iron and B-group vitamin deficiency in the development of angular cheilitis in pregnant women. The study included 40 pregnant patients divided into a main group (n=20) with angular cheilitis and a control group (n=20) without oral mucosal lesions. Clinical examination, complete blood count, serum ferritin, vitamin B₆ and vitamin B₁₂ levels were assessed.The results demonstrated a significant decrease in ferritin, vitamin B₆ and vitamin B₁₂ levels in pregnant women with angular cheilitis compared to the control group (p<0.05). These deficiency states were correlated with the severity of clinical manifestations. The findings confirm the important role of iron and B-group vitamin deficiency in the pathogenesis of angular cheilitis in pregnant women and highlight the necessity of comprehensive laboratory evaluation in this patient population.