Cytological findings of buccal mucosa in megaloblastic anemia

ABSTRACT

Megaloblastic anemia is a common problem in Pakistan, that can lead to negative health outcomes with increasing age. Apart from the general effect due to the deficiencies of fo late and vitamin B 12 as observed in blood, bone marrow cells and epithelial cell surfaces, similar changes in oral epithelium have also been found. These cellular findings however have been limited to a very few studies and offers a good research scope for more studies to be conducted. Healthcare strategies that consider the impact of laboratory tests on the overall costs and quality of care should consider the advantages of including cytological findings of buccal mucosal scraps for evaluation of these patients and can serve as a prerequisite of diagnosing this disease