Exploring Status of Oral Submucous Fibrosis and its Association with C-Reactive Protein at a Public Sector Medical University

Abstract

Oral submucous fibrosis (OSMF) is a well-established precancerous condition affecting the oral mucosa. Objective: To explore serum C- reactive protein levels in healthy patients and their comparison with diagnosed patients having oral submucous fibrosis. Methods: Eighty-two patients of all age groups, irrespective of gender and clinically diagnosed with oral submucous fibrosis, without any other systemic problem were included in the study. Patients were divided into two groups i.e., Group A = normal healthy patients and Group B = clinically diagnosed oral submucous fibrosis patients. After taking detailed history of patients of both groups, blood samples were collected from all patients for C- reactive protein levels. Results: Out of 82 patients, male were 30 (73.2%) and 34 (82.9%) and female were 11 (26.8%) and 7 (17.1%) with mean age of 41.0 ± 6.6 years and 42.6 ± 7.4 years in group I (normal healthy patients) and group II (oral submucous fibrosis patients) respectively. All patients were long-term consumers of betel quid with or without tobacco [13 (31.7%) and 28 (68.3%)], whereas no healthy patient was using betel quid. CRP level was significantly high 3.62 ±1.02 mg/dl in OSMF patients as compared to normal healthy patients 0.40 ± 0.21mg/dl. Similarly, CRP level was significantly abnormal (raised) in all OSMF patients as compared to normal healthy patients where only 7 (17.1%) were reported with abnormal (raised) CRP levels. Conclusions: Serum C- reactive protein levels in oral submucous fibrosis patients were significantly high as compared to normal healthy patients.