Biomaterial Database

Response to replacement iron therapy in sideropenic individuals with recrudescent herpes labialis. 2000

A Willis, and P Hyland, and P J Lamey

Department of Oral Surgery, Oral Medicine & Oral Pathology, School of Clinical Dentistry, The Queen's University of Belfast, Northern Ireland. a.willis@qub.ac.uk

This study investigated the effects of iron replacement on the incidence of recurrent herpes labialis and serum ferritin levels in patients with sideropenia. Ten patients with diagnosed sideropenia and a history of recrudescent herpes labialis were prescribed ferrous sulphate for a period of 3 months. Patients were questioned on the number of episodes of recrudescent herpes labialis that developed per month before treatment and the number of episodes of recrudescent herpes labialis that developed per month after the commencement of replacement iron therapy and during the follow-up period. All blood samples were collected by venipuncture for assay of ferritin levels. Serum ferritin levels were significantly increased compared to pretreatment levels (P<0.05). The number of monthly episodes of recrudescent herpes labialis was reduced from 0.78 to 0.2 episodes per month following treatment (P<0.05). The findings of this study suggest that iron replacement therapy should be further studied as a treatment option in sideropenic individuals with frequent recurrences of recrudescent herpes labialis.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D008875	Middle Aged	An adult aged 45 - 64 years.	Middle Age
D010865	Pilot Projects	Small-scale tests of methods and procedures to be used on a larger scale if the pilot study demonstrates that these methods and procedures can work.	Pilot Studies,Pilot Study,Pilot Project,Project, Pilot,Projects, Pilot,Studies, Pilot,Study, Pilot
D012008	Recurrence	The return of a sign, symptom, or disease after a remission.	Recrudescence,Relapse,Recrudescences,Recurrences,Relapses
D002648	Child	A person 6 to 12 years of age. An individual 2 to 5 years old is CHILD, PRESCHOOL.	Children
D005260	Female		Females
D005293	Ferritins	Iron-containing proteins that are widely distributed in animals, plants, and microorganisms. Their major function is to store IRON in a nontoxic bioavailable form. Each ferritin molecule consists of ferric iron in a hollow protein shell (APOFERRITINS) made of 24 subunits of various sequences depending on the species and tissue types.	Basic Isoferritin,Ferritin,Isoferritin,Isoferritin, Basic
D005296	Ferrous Compounds	Inorganic or organic compounds that contain divalent iron.	Compounds, Ferrous
D006560	Herpes Labialis	Herpes simplex, caused by type 1 virus, primarily spread by oral secretions and usually occurring as a concomitant of fever. It may also develop in the absence of fever or prior illness. It commonly involves the facial region, especially the lips and the nares. (Dorland, 27th ed.)	Cold Sore,Fever Blister,Herpes Simplex, Labial,Blister, Fever,Blisters, Fever,Cold Sores,Fever Blisters,Labial Herpes Simplex,Sore, Cold,Sores, Cold
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man