抄録
A patient was diagnosed with pagophagia, a type of pica, during dental treatment and, on suspicion of anemia, was referred to an internal medicine clinic where she was diagnosed with severe anemia. We give a brief review of the literature concerning anemia and pagophagia.
The patient was a 46-year-old woman who visited our clinic for dental treatment. Her medical history included noncontributory systemic findings, and she showed no abnormalities in facial features or otherwise.
Intraoral findings: Several missing molars, but good overall oral health. Discolored gums presenting with anemic coloring. No abnormalities in the lips or tongue, but dental attrition visible throughout the jaw.
Verbal examination revealed pagophagia of about 1kg per day, and so the patient was referred to a local internal medicine clinic on suspicion of anemia. A blood sample revealed Hb 4.0g/dl and a diagnosis of severe anemia was made. The patient was referred to a general hospital in the city for detailed full-body examinations and iron preparation drugs that corrected both the anemia and the pagophagia.
The reported rate of anemia associated with pagophagia varies from 0.4 to 24.7％. However, it is clear that there is a link between pagophagia and iron deficiency anemia.
