Recurrent aphthous stomatitis.

Recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS) is the most common acute oral ulcerative condition in North America. RAS is divided into a mild, common form, simple aphthosis, and a severe, less common form, complex aphthosis. Aphthosis is a reactive condition. The lesions of RAS can represent the mucosal manifestation of a variety of conditions. These include conditions with oral and genital aphthae such as ulcus vulvae acutum, reactive nonsexually related acute genital ulcers, and Behçet disease. The mouth is the beginning of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, and the lesions of RAS can be a manifestation of GI diseases such as gluten-sensitive enteropathy, ulcerative colitis, and Crohn disease. Complex aphthosis may also have correctable causes. The clinician should seek these in a careful evaluation. Successful management of both simple and complex aphthosis depends on accurate diagnosis, proper classification, recognition of provocative factors, and the identification of associated diseases. The outlook for patients with both simple and complex aphthosis is positive.

Tratamiento quirúrgico de una úlcera vulvar aguda de Lipschütz / Surgical treatment of an acute vulvar ulcer of Lipschütz

La úlcera de Lipschütz es un proceso ulcerativo vulvar agudo, considerado dentro del grupo de las aftosis. Suele darse en niñas o en mujeres jóvenes. No está en relación con enfermedades venéreas. Sí se ha considerado el antecedente de infección reciente por el virus de Epstein-Barr.El proceso, que cursa como una úlcera de aparición brusca, es sumamente doloroso y suele responder bien al tratamiento local y sistémico con corticoides. Presentamos en este trabajo un caso en el que el fracaso del tratamiento médico nos obliga a ensayar la opción quirúrgica (AU)

Lipschütz ulcer is an acute vulvar ulcerative process, considered to belong to the group of aphthous ulcers. It usually occurs in female children or young women. This ulcer is not associated with venereal disease but has been associated with a recent history of the Epstein-Barr virus. The process, which presents as an ulcer flare-ups, is extremely painful and usually responds well to local and systemic steroid therapy. If medical therapy is unsuccessful, surgical treatment is required (AU)

Anamnestic findings from patients with recurrent aphthous stomatitis.

Recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS) is a common oral disorder with a prevalence varying between 5% and 66%. RAS appears in three forms; minor, major and herpetiform. The aetiology is unknown.The aim of this study was to evaluate associations between specific anamnestic information and different types of recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS). A group of 177 patients (mean age = 42.8 years; SD = 14.3; range 17-79 years) participated. Data were collected from a structured interview, consisting of 22 questions. Information about i) health status and medication, ii) predisposing factors, iii) RAS experience, iv) previous treatment methods and v) brand of toothpaste was collected. Sixty-eight per cent of the patients were healthy and 44% of the patients were not taking any medication. Forty-one per cent of the patients did not have any apprehension of the reason for their RAS, while stress (15.8%) was the most common apprehended aetiological factor. Sixty-two per cent had one to three minor ulcers at one time. Forty-eight per cent reported having had a major aphthous ulcer at least once.The most frequent symptom reported was pain (53.7%), followed by a smarting sensation (18.6%) and tenderness (4%). The most common treatment for RAS was Zendium™ toothpaste/mouthrinse (28%), followed by corticosteroids (25%). Fifty-four per cent of the patients experienced no relief from the treatment. When toothpaste habits were investigated, Zendium™ was used by 32% of the patients and toothpaste containing sodium-lauryl-sulfatase was used by 32%.There was no positive correlation between the use of Zendium™ toothpaste and the relief of symptoms or the size, number or frequency of the aphthous ulcers. Sixty-four per cent of the patients had never smoked, while 7% were smokers. No positive correlation was found when age, gender, allergy, medication and smoking were correlated to the frequency, number and size of the aphthous ulcers. In conclusion, we found that the aetiology behind RAS is still unclear and probably multifactorial. Standard treatment methods like Zendium™ should perhaps be questioned and this study did not find any support for smoking as a "protective" factor, i.e. having less likelihood of experiencing major problems from RAS.

Relationships between self-rated oral health, subjective symptoms, oral health behavior and clinical conditions in Japanese university students: a cross-sectional survey at Okayama University.

BACKGROUND: Self-rated oral health is a valid and useful summary indicator of overall oral health status and quality of life. However, few studies on perception of oral health have been conducted among Japanese young adults. This study investigated whether oral health behavior, subjective oral symptoms, or clinical oral status were associated with self-rated oral health in Japanese young adults. METHODS: This cross-sectional survey included 2,087 students (1,183 males, 904 females), aged 18 and 19 years, at Okayama University, Japan. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed and an oral examination was performed. RESULTS: In a structural equation modeling analysis, the score of decayed, missing and filled teeth (DMFT) significantly affected self-rated oral health (p <0.05) and the effect size was highest. Malocclusion, subjective symptoms of temporomandibular disorders (TMD) and stomatitis, and poor oral health behavior significantly induced self-rated poor oral health with small effect sizes (p <0.05). Clinical periodontal conditions and Oral Hygiene Index-simplified were not related to self-rated oral health. CONCLUSION: Self-rated oral health was influenced by subjective symptoms of TMD and stomatitis, oral health behavior, the score of DMFT, and malocclusion. The evaluation of these parameters may be a useful approach in routine dental examination to improve self-rated oral health in university students.

Clinical assessment of disease severity in recurrent aphthous stomatitis.

BACKGROUND: Recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS) is one of the most common oral mucosal diseases in many parts of the world. However, there is very limited published clinical evidence for the therapies used in this condition. This could be partly due to the difficulty in evaluating the efficacy of oral ulcer treatment objectively. In this paper, we present a method for assessing and monitoring the severity of oral ulcers before and after treatment. METHODS: Six ulcer characteristics, number, size, duration, ulcer-free period, site and pain, were used to generate an ulcer severity score (USS). The scores for 223 RAS patients were determined, and 79 were scored again after 3-month therapy with topical betamethasone. RESULTS: The scores for the minor RAS group were between 18 and 43 (mean 29.2 ± 5.3). The mean score in the major ulcers group (range: 28-60, mean 39.9 ± 6.1) was significantly greater than in the minor group (P < 0.001). The herpetiform recurrent ulcers score range was wide (range: 18-57, mean 36.6 ± 8.4). The mean severity score decreased significantly after treatment (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The USS was indicative of the disease activity in recurrent oral ulceration. It helped in assessing the efficacy of therapy, as the change in the numerical score reflected the change in ulcer severity in response to treatment. This tool may well prove to be of value in clinical management, research and in clinical trials.

Urban legends: recurrent aphthous stomatitis.

Recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS) is the most common idiopathic intraoral ulcerative disease in the USA. Aphthae typically occur in apparently healthy individuals, although an association with certain systemic diseases has been reported. Despite the unclear etiopathogenesis, new drug trials are continuously conducted in an attempt to reduce pain and dysfunction. We investigated four controversial topics: (1) Is complex aphthosis a mild form of Behçet's disease (BD)? (2) Is periodic fever, aphthous stomatitis, pharyngitis, and adenitis (PFAPA) syndrome a distinct medical entity? (3) Is RAS associated with other systemic diseases [e.g., celiac disease (CD) and B12 deficiency]? (4) Are there any new RAS treatments? Results from extensive literature searches, including a systematic review of RAS trials, suggested the following: (1) Complex aphthosis is not a mild form of BD in North America or Western Europe; (2) Diagnostic criteria for PFAPA have low specificity and the characteristics of the oral ulcers warrant further studies; (3) Oral ulcers may be associated with CD; however, these ulcers may not be RAS; RAS is rarely associated with B12 deficiency; nevertheless, B12 treatment may be beneficial, via mechanisms that warrant further study; (4) Thirty-three controlled trials published in the past 6 years reported some effectiveness, although potential for bias was high.

Estomatitis aftosa recurrente mayor tipo C: reporte de un caso / Recurrent type C major aphthous stomatitis: report of a case

La estomatitis aftosa recurrente (EAR) ha sido descrita como la enfermedad de la mucosa bucal más común en América. Se considera una enfermedad inflamatoria no infecciosa de la mucosa bucal, de etiología aún desconocida. Las úlceras de la EAR se distinguen por su forma, tamaño, localización (herpetiforme, menor y mayor) y estrategias de manejo (tipos A, B y C), lo que permite diferenciarlas de las diversas enfermedades ulcerativas infecciosas (por ej. las producidas por el virus herpes), y así dirigir el tratamiento adecuado, ya que la EAR afecta en gran medida la calidad de vida del paciente.

Aftosis recurrente / Relapsing aphthous ulcers

La aftosis recurrente o estomatitis aftosa recurrente es una de las patologías más frecuentes de la mucosa oral. Aunque sus características clínicas están bien definidas, la etiología específica y la patogenia de este trastorno no han sido dilucidadas. Clínicamente pueden distinguirse dos formas de aftosis recurrente, que varían de un polo de elevada frecuencia y menor severidad conocido como aftosis simple, a uno infrecuente y de mayor severidad asociado o no a patologías sistémicas, que se denomina aftosis compleja. El tratamiento es inespecífico y en ocasiones frustrante, a pesar de la multiplicidad de agentes tópicos y sistémicos descriptos. La presencia de aftas orales recurrentes exige realizar un diagnóstico adecuado y una clasificación clínica apropiada que permitan excluir la enfermedad de Behçet e identificar factores predisponentes y eventuales patologías sistémicas asociadas. Son necesarios más estudios para poder comprender el origen de este trastorno y optimizar su terapeútica.

Relapsing aphthous ulcers or relapsing aphthous stomatitis is one of themost frequent disorders of the oral mucosa. Although their clinical characteristics are well defi ned, the specifi c etiology and pathogenesis of this disorder have not been established. Clinically it is possible to determine two forms of relapsing aphthous ulcers,varying from one pole of high frequency and low severity known as simple aphthosis to another more rare and severe, which may or may not be associated to systemic pathologies, and is called complex aphthosis.Treatment although not specifi c is at times frustrating despite many topical and systemic options.The presence of relapsing oral aphthous ulcers demands an adequate diagnosis and clinical classifi cation in order to rule out Behcet`s disease, as well as the identifi cation of possible predisposing factors and associated systemic diseases. Further studies are required to understand the origin of this disorder and optimize its treatment.

A composite index for determining the impact of oral ulcer activity in Behcet's disease and recurrent aphthous stomatitis.

BACKGROUND: Although number, frequency and healing time of oral ulcers and pain are generally used for clinical practice and studies in Behcet's disease (BD) and recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS), no standardized activity index is currently present to monitor clinical manifestations associated with oral ulcers. The aim of this study was to develop a standardized composite index (CI) to assess oral ulcer activity in BD and RAS. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, 121 patients with BD and 45 patients with RAS were included. Sixty-five percentage of BD and 68.9% of RAS patients were in active stage during the previous 3 months. The developed CI included the presence of oral ulcers, ulcer-related pain and functional status and was evaluated in patients with both active and inactive disease for content validity. RESULTS: Composite index score was observed to be higher in active patients with RAS (6.94 + or - 2.19) compared with active BD patients (6.01 + or - 2.04) (P = 0.04). The number of oral ulcers and healing time of oral ulcers were significantly higher in RAS compared with BD (P = 0.018, P = 0.001 respectively). CI score correlated with the number of oral ulcers in both BD and RAS (P = 0.000, P = 0.002 respectively). CI score was '0' for inactive patients without oral ulcer in BD and RAS. CONCLUSIONS: The presented CI as an oral ulcer activity index seems to be a reliable and suitable tool for evaluating the clinical impact and disease-specific problems in BD and RAS.

Comportamiento epidemiológico de la estomatitis aftosa recurrente en pacientes del Instituto Superior de Medicina Militar "Dr. Luis Díaz Soto", 2007 / Epidemiologic behavior of the recurrent aphthous stomatitis present in patients from Dr Luis Díaz Soto Higher Institute of Military Medicine, 2007

La estomatitis aftosa recurrente es una forma de ulceración que afecta la mucosa bucal, de presentación frecuente, que se caracteriza por la aparición de una o varias úlceras dolorosas, variable en forma, tamaño y número; las lesiones se repiten periódicamente. Cura en pocos días, semanas o meses, en dependencia de los factores de riesgo que la desencadenaron; para su tratamiento se han ensayado una gran cantidad de terapias, pero sin resolver el problema subyacente. Con el objetivo de evaluar el comportamiento epidemiológico de la estomatitis aftosa recurrente en pacientes atendidos en el Instituto Superior de Medicina Militar Dr Luis Díaz Soto en el período de junio de 2006 hasta febrero de 2007, se realizó un estudio descriptivo de corte transversal a 97 pacientes, de uno y otro sexo con diagnóstico de estomatitis aftosa recurrente. Se tuvieron en cuenta los grupos de edades a partir de 15 hasta 60 años y más. Se evaluaron las variables: sexo, edad, forma clínica de la lesión, posibles factores de riesgo y tratamiento indicado. Se confeccionó una base de datos informatizado; para comprobar la relación entre las variables se utilizó la prueba chi cuadrado y se aplicó el valor porcentual. Desde el inicio del estudio se tuvieron en cuenta las consideraciones éticas que deben regir toda investigación. La mayoría de los individuos encuestados presentaron la forma menor de la enfermedad; solo el 6,2 y el 4,2 por ciento padecieron la forma mayor y herpetiforme, respectivamente; la mayor afectación ocurrió en los individuos más jóvenes y en el sexo femenino; la terapia combinada fue la que más se aplicó en los pacientes, seguida de las diferentes técnicas de tratamientos alternativos; se usó únicamente el tratamiento convencional en muy pocos casos.

Recurrent aphthous stomatitis is a way of ulceration affecting buccal mucosa, has a frequent presentation characterizing appearance of one or some painful ulcers, with a variable size, number and way, lesions are periodically repeated. It is recovery in days, weeks or months, depending of risk factors triggering it. For treatment of this condition we assayed many therapies but without solution of underlying problem. The aim of present paper is to assess the epidemiologic behavior of recurrent stomatitis in patients seen in Dr. Luís Díaz Soto Higher Institute of Military Medicine from June 2006 to February 2007. We made a cross-sectional and descriptive study in 97 patients of both sexes diagnosed with this condition. We took into account age groups aged from 15 up to 60 or more. We assessed the following variables: sex, age, clinical presentation of lesion, possible risk factors and treatment prescribed. An information database was created; to verify relation among variables we used Chi2 test and percentage value was applied. From the beginning of study we took into account the ethical considerations that must to determine a research. Most of surveyed individuals had the lower way of disease, only the 6,2 and the 4,2 percent suffered from the great way and the herpertiform type, respectively; the greatest affection was present in younger individuals and in female sex; combined therapy was the more used in patients, followed by different techniques of alternative treatments; we used only the conventional treatment in very few cases.

Comportamiento epidemiológico de la estomatitis aftosa recurrente en pacientes del Instituto Superior de Medicina Militar "Dr. Luis Díaz Soto", 2007 / Epidemiologic behavior of the recurrent aphthous stomatitis present in patients from Dr Luis Díaz Soto Higher Institute of Military Medicine, 2007

La estomatitis aftosa recurrente es una forma de ulceración que afecta la mucosa bucal, de presentación frecuente, que se caracteriza por la aparición de una o varias úlceras dolorosas, variable en forma, tamaño y número; las lesiones se repiten periódicamente. Cura en pocos días, semanas o meses, en dependencia de los factores de riesgo que la desencadenaron; para su tratamiento se han ensayado una gran cantidad de terapias, pero sin resolver el problema subyacente. Con el objetivo de evaluar el comportamiento epidemiológico de la estomatitis aftosa recurrente en pacientes atendidos en el Instituto Superior de Medicina Militar Dr Luis Díaz Soto en el período de junio de 2006 hasta febrero de 2007, se realizó un estudio descriptivo de corte transversal a 97 pacientes, de uno y otro sexo con diagnóstico de estomatitis aftosa recurrente. Se tuvieron en cuenta los grupos de edades a partir de 15 hasta 60 años y más. Se evaluaron las variables: sexo, edad, forma clínica de la lesión, posibles factores de riesgo y tratamiento indicado. Se confeccionó una base de datos informatizado; para comprobar la relación entre las variables se utilizó la prueba chi cuadrado y se aplicó el valor porcentual. Desde el inicio del estudio se tuvieron en cuenta las consideraciones éticas que deben regir toda investigación. La mayoría de los individuos encuestados presentaron la forma menor de la enfermedad; solo el 6,2 y el 4,2 por ciento padecieron la forma mayor y herpetiforme, respectivamente; la mayor afectación ocurrió en los individuos más jóvenes y en el sexo femenino; la terapia combinada fue la que más se aplicó en los pacientes, seguida de las diferentes técnicas de tratamientos alternativos; se usó únicamente el tratamiento convencional en muy pocos casos(AU)

Recurrent aphthous stomatitis is a way of ulceration affecting buccal mucosa, has a frequent presentation characterizing appearance of one or some painful ulcers, with a variable size, number and way, lesions are periodically repeated. It is recovery in days, weeks or months, depending of risk factors triggering it. For treatment of this condition we assayed many therapies but without solution of underlying problem. The aim of present paper is to assess the epidemiologic behavior of recurrent stomatitis in patients seen in Dr. Luís Díaz Soto Higher Institute of Military Medicine from June 2006 to February 2007. We made a cross-sectional and descriptive study in 97 patients of both sexes diagnosed with this condition. We took into account age groups aged from 15 up to 60 or more. We assessed the following variables: sex, age, clinical presentation of lesion, possible risk factors and treatment prescribed. An information database was created; to verify relation among variables we used Chi2 test and percentage value was applied. From the beginning of study we took into account the ethical considerations that must to determine a research. Most of surveyed individuals had the lower way of disease, only the 6,2 and the 4,2 percent suffered from the great way and the herpertiform type, respectively; the greatest affection was present in younger individuals and in female sex; combined therapy was the more used in patients, followed by different techniques of alternative treatments; we used only the conventional treatment in very few cases(AU)

Relationship between periodontal findings and Behçet's disease: a controlled study.

BACKGROUND: Behçet's disease (BD) is a chronic, relapsing, systemic vasculitis of unknown aetiology. The involvement of oral mucosal surfaces represents the onset feature of the disease in the majority of patients. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the periodontal status of BD patients and then compare with recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS) patients and healthy controls. We also determined the relationship between the periodontal condition and the clinical severity of the disease in BD patients. METHODS: Eighty-six patients with BD, 63 patients with RAS and 82 healthy subjects were included in the study. The periodontal status of all subjects was evaluated according to the community periodontal index of treatment needs (CPITN). BD patients were also assessed for clinical severity score (CSS) as described previously. RESULTS: The mean CPITN were observed to be higher in BD patients (1.79 +/- 0.96) compared with RAS patients (1.22 +/- 0.87) and healthy controls (1.18 +/- 0.98) (p<0.001). There was a positive association between CSS and CPITN (p=0.017) in BD patients. CONCLUSION: Our results showed that periodondal status is worse in BD patients and associated with disease severity. We can speculate that periodontitis may induce a systemic inflammatory process that may contribute to the development and/or progression of BD.

Levamisole can modulate the serum tumor necrosis factor-alpha level in patients with recurrent aphthous ulcerations.

BACKGROUND: Recurrent aphthous ulcerations (RAU) are common oral inflammatory lesions. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha is an important inflammatory mediator and a critical cytokine for adequate host defense. Our previous studies have shown that 14-43% and 59-63% of patients in the ulcerative stage of major, minor or herpetiform RAU have significantly higher than normal serum levels of interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-8, respectively. In this study, we examined whether RAU patients in the ulcerative stage had a significantly higher than normal serum level of TNF-alpha and assessed whether treatment with levamisole can modulate serum TNF-alpha levels in RAU patients. METHODS: This study used a solid phase, two-site sequential chemiluminescent immunometric assay to determine the baseline serum levels of TNF-alpha in 146 patients with RAU, nine patients with traumatic ulcers (TU), and 54 normal control subjects. Fifty-five RAU patients with serum TNF-alpha levels higher than 5.0 pg/ml were treated with levamisole for 0.5-4 months and their serum TNF-alpha levels were measured after treatment. RESULTS: We found that 29% (42 of 146) RAU patients as well as 39% (24 of 61) major type, 20% (14 of 69) minor type, and 25% (four of 16) herpetiform type RAU patients had a serum level of TNF-alpha greater than the upper normal limit of 7.4 pg/ml. The mean serum level of TNF-alpha in patients with RAU (9.1 +/- 1.0 pg/ml, P < 0.001), major type RAU (11.6 +/- 1.9 pg/ml, P < 0.001), minor type RAU (6.9 +/- 0.9 pg/ml, P < 0.005), or herpetiform type RAU (9.6 +/- 2.7 pg/ml, P < 0.001) was higher than that (3.8 +/- 0.2 pg/ml) in normal control subjects. The mean serum TNF-alpha level was significantly higher in patients with major type RAU than in patients with minor type RAU (P < 0.05) and was significantly higher in major type RAU patients in the exacerbation stage than in the post-exacerbation stage (P < 0.05). In 55 RAU patients with serum TNF-alpha levels higher than 5.0 pg/ml, treatment with levamisole for a period of 0.5-4 months could significantly reduce the serum TNF-alpha level from 16.4 +/- 1.9 to 5.8 +/- 0.6 pg/ml (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that a significantly higher than normal serum level of TNF-alpha can be detected in 20-39% of patients in the ulcerative stage of major, minor or herpetiform RAU. The serum TNF-alpha level may be associated with the severity and the stage of RAU. Levamisole can modulate serum TNF-alpha levels in RAU patients.

Complex aphthosis: a large case series with evaluation algorithm and therapeutic ladder from topicals to thalidomide.

BACKGROUND: Recurrent aphthous stomatitis is a common problem with 20% to 50% of the population having experienced simple aphthous lesions (ie, canker sores). Complex aphthosis is the diagnosis given to patients with almost constant >3 oral aphthae or recurrent oral and genital aphthae in the absence of Behcet's disease. METHODS: Eighty-one patients were referred to the Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Department of Dermatology from 1995 to 2001 with the diagnosis of presumptive Behcet's disease. After exclusion of patients with simple recurrent aphthous stomatitis or non-aphthous oral disease, 64 patients remained. Ten of the patients met criteria for Behcet's disease. The remaining 54 patients were evaluated and treated as patients with the diagnosis of complex aphthosis. RESULTS: The 54 patients with complex aphthosis became the subject of this study. Twelve patients had secondary complex aphthosis with 10/12 having inflammatory bowel disease. The remaining 42 patients had primary (ie, idiopathic) complex aphthosis. The therapeutic ladder for these patients ranged from topical therapy through oral colchicine and combination oral colchicine and oral dapsone therapy to oral thalidomide therapy. CONCLUSION: Complex aphthosis is an important condition to distinguish from Behcet's disease. Appropriate patient evaluation algorithms and treatment therapeutic ladders are proposed.

Síndrome PFAPA: un nuevo caso / PFAPA syndrome: a new case

Se describe un caso de síndrome PFAPA en un niño de 4 años. Este síndrome consiste en episodios de fiebre periódica, estomatitis aftosa, faringitis y linfadenopatía cervical. Aunque es un proceso benigno, se acompaña de gran morbilidad y alto componente de ansiedad familiar, debido a que los episodios recurren periódicamente (AU)

A case of PFAPA syndrome in a 4-year-old boy is presented. The syndrome consists of periodic fever, aphthous stomatitis, pharyngitis and adenopathy. The disorder is benign, but is associated with a high morbidity rate. Ultimately, there is a progressive decrease in the incidence of periodic fever (AU)

Celiac disease and recurrent aphthous stomatitis: a report and review of the literature.

Celiac disease (CD) is a condition related to the small intestine's intolerance to gluten. The diagnosis of CD can be difficult, especially because patients may exhibit a wide spectrum of signs and symptoms. It is important to identify this disease process early because affected individuals have an increased risk for developing lymphoma of the gut. Our objective was to evaluate whether patients with CD have a significantly higher prevalence of recurrent aphthous stomatitis compared with the general population, as some investigators have speculated. Therefore, we screened 61 patients with diagnosed CD for the presence of, or a positive history of, aphthous ulcerations. We then statistically compared this data with a randomly selected control population, matched for age and gender, but without CD. Our results demonstrated no significant differences between groups for age, gender, or prevalence of recurrent aphthous stomatitis.