Higher serum gastric parietal cell antibody titers are associated with increased frequencies of macrocytosis, vitamin B12 deficiency, and hyperhomocysteinemia in patients with oral lichen planus.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Our previous study found 139 gastric parietal cell antibody (GPCA)-positive oral lichen planus (OLP) patients (GPCA+OLP patients) in a group of 588 OLP patients. This study evaluated whether higher-titer (serum GPCA titer ≥160) GPCA+OLP patients had greater frequencies of macrocytosis, anemia, serum iron and vitamin B12 deficiencies, and hyperhomocysteinemia than lower-titer (GPCA titer ≥80) GPCA+OLP patients or 588 healthy control subjects. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Complete blood count, serum iron, vitamin B12, folic acid, homocysteine, and GPCA levels in 53 higher-titer GPCA+OLP patients, 86 lower-titer GPCA+OLP patients, and 588 healthy control subjects were measured and compared. RESULTS: We found that 32.1%, 37.7%, 24.5%, 43.4%, and 86.8% of higher-titer GPCA+OLP patients and 14.0%, 24.4%, 23.3%, 19.8%, and 34.9% of 86 lower-titer GPCA+OLP patients were diagnosed as having macrocytosis, anemia, serum iron and vitamin B12 deficiencies, and hyperhomocysteinemia, respectively. Moreover, both 53 higher-titer and 86 lower-titer GPCA+OLP patients had significantly greater frequencies of macrocytosis, anemia, serum iron and vitamin B12 deficiencies, and hyperhomocysteinemia than 588 healthy control subjects (all P-values <0.001). In addition, 53 higher-titer GPCA+OLP patients also had significantly greater frequencies of macrocytosis, serum vitamin B12 deficiency, and hyperhomocysteinemia than 86 lower-titer GPCA+OLP patients (all P-values <0.05). CONCLUSION: The higher-titer GPCA+OLP patients have significantly greater frequencies of macrocytosis, serum vitamin B12 deficiency, and hyperhomocysteinemia than lower-titer GPCA+OLP patients. Thus, we conclude that higher serum GPCA titers are associated with increased frequencies of macrocytosis, vitamin B12 deficiency, and hyperhomocysteinemia in patients with oral lichen planus.