Contributions
Abstract: PB1977
Type: Publication Only
Background
Nutritional vitamin B12 deficiency in children has an increasing prevalence in developing countries. Vitamin B12 deficiency is classically treated with parenteral therapy, although oral replacement is proven to be safe and effective in adult studies. There are few studies on oral replacement therapy of vitamin B12 in children.
Aims
We aimed to compare the efficacy of oral administration of vitamin B12 versus intramuscular vitamin B12 injections in pediatric population.
Methods
Children with serum cobalamin concentrations less than 300 pg/mL, aged between 1 months to 18 years were included in this prospective study. Children were treated either with the parenteral or oral vitamin B12. Serum samples for complete blood count and vitamin B12 levels were collected at baseline and day 30. The primary and secondary outcomes of the study were the normalization of serum vitamin B12 and hemoglobin at first month, respectively.
Results
Pre-treatment vitamin B12 increased from 183.5±47 pg/mL and 175.5±42.5 pg/mL to post-treatment value of 482±318.9 pg/mL and 838±547 pg/mL in the oral and parenteral treatment arms, respectively (p-value<0.001). Post-treatment mean values for vitamin B12 was nearly two folds higher in the parenteral group than the oral group (p-value<0.001). The number of patients who still have anemia at the 1st month of treatment were not significant in the parenteral and oral arms (p-value=0.44).
Conclusion
In this study, oral and parenteral formulations were both effective in normalizing vitamin B12 levels. We suggest that oral formulations may be considered safely as a first line treatment for vitamin B12 deficiency in children.
Session topic: 29. Enzymopathies, membranopathies and other anemias
Keyword(s): Anemia, Children, Hematocrit, Hemoglobin
Abstract: PB1977
Type: Publication Only
Background
Nutritional vitamin B12 deficiency in children has an increasing prevalence in developing countries. Vitamin B12 deficiency is classically treated with parenteral therapy, although oral replacement is proven to be safe and effective in adult studies. There are few studies on oral replacement therapy of vitamin B12 in children.
Aims
We aimed to compare the efficacy of oral administration of vitamin B12 versus intramuscular vitamin B12 injections in pediatric population.
Methods
Children with serum cobalamin concentrations less than 300 pg/mL, aged between 1 months to 18 years were included in this prospective study. Children were treated either with the parenteral or oral vitamin B12. Serum samples for complete blood count and vitamin B12 levels were collected at baseline and day 30. The primary and secondary outcomes of the study were the normalization of serum vitamin B12 and hemoglobin at first month, respectively.
Results
Pre-treatment vitamin B12 increased from 183.5±47 pg/mL and 175.5±42.5 pg/mL to post-treatment value of 482±318.9 pg/mL and 838±547 pg/mL in the oral and parenteral treatment arms, respectively (p-value<0.001). Post-treatment mean values for vitamin B12 was nearly two folds higher in the parenteral group than the oral group (p-value<0.001). The number of patients who still have anemia at the 1st month of treatment were not significant in the parenteral and oral arms (p-value=0.44).
Conclusion
In this study, oral and parenteral formulations were both effective in normalizing vitamin B12 levels. We suggest that oral formulations may be considered safely as a first line treatment for vitamin B12 deficiency in children.
Session topic: 29. Enzymopathies, membranopathies and other anemias
Keyword(s): Anemia, Children, Hematocrit, Hemoglobin