Contributions
Abstract: PB1972
Type: Publication Only
Background
Pernicious anemia is a chronic illness where body fails to produe normal red blood corpuscles because of Vitamin B12 deficiency caused as a result of impaired absorption due to lack of intrinsic factor, which may be due to the presence of intrinsic factor antibody or gastric parietal cell antibody leading to gastric atrophy. It is the most common cause of Vitamin B12 deficiency in the west, however in a study conducted by Desai et al the incidence of pernicious anemia was found to be very low in Indian subjects. Moreover, majority of these vitamin B12 deficient patients do not get investigated for pernicious anemia as the deficiency is attributed to the vegeterian diet of the patients. This retrospective study shows that the incidence of pernicious anemia in the Indian population may be higher than reported till now.
Aims
To evaluate the prevalence of pernicious anemia in patients with documented low serum vitamin B12 levels in Mumbai.
Methods
A total of 133 patients with clinical suspicion of Vitamin B12 deficiency who were not recently transfused within the last one week or were not on vitamin B12 supplements were tested for serum vitamin b12 levels. Out of these, 38 patienst found to have severely low levels of levels of vitamin b12 of less than 150pg/ml were then tested for gastric parietal cell antibody and intrinsic factor antibody.
Results
A total of 8 patients from the 132 patients tested were found to have Pernicious Anemia. Out of these, 2 were positive for only intrinsic factor antibody , 5 were positive for only gastric parietal cell antibody while one patient was positive for both the antibodies. The latter patient was also found to be Anti TPO antibody positive and referred for further endocrinological evaluation. Of note is the factt hat 2 patients had equivocal intrinsic factor antibody levels while 3 patients had equivocal gastric parietal cell antibody levels within the values falling on the upper limit of the reference range and for all practical purposes, these patients were treated as having pernicious anemia.
Conclusion
The prevalence of pernicious anemia is reported to be lower in Chinese, Blacks and the Indian population. Till date, studies reported in India have further emphasized this fact. However, this retrospective study shows that the incidence of pernicious anmeia is higher than reported and has important implications in the treatment of the patients.
Session topic: 29. Enzymopathies, membranopathies and other anemias
Keyword(s): Anemia, antibody, Autoantibody, Pancytopenia
Abstract: PB1972
Type: Publication Only
Background
Pernicious anemia is a chronic illness where body fails to produe normal red blood corpuscles because of Vitamin B12 deficiency caused as a result of impaired absorption due to lack of intrinsic factor, which may be due to the presence of intrinsic factor antibody or gastric parietal cell antibody leading to gastric atrophy. It is the most common cause of Vitamin B12 deficiency in the west, however in a study conducted by Desai et al the incidence of pernicious anemia was found to be very low in Indian subjects. Moreover, majority of these vitamin B12 deficient patients do not get investigated for pernicious anemia as the deficiency is attributed to the vegeterian diet of the patients. This retrospective study shows that the incidence of pernicious anemia in the Indian population may be higher than reported till now.
Aims
To evaluate the prevalence of pernicious anemia in patients with documented low serum vitamin B12 levels in Mumbai.
Methods
A total of 133 patients with clinical suspicion of Vitamin B12 deficiency who were not recently transfused within the last one week or were not on vitamin B12 supplements were tested for serum vitamin b12 levels. Out of these, 38 patienst found to have severely low levels of levels of vitamin b12 of less than 150pg/ml were then tested for gastric parietal cell antibody and intrinsic factor antibody.
Results
A total of 8 patients from the 132 patients tested were found to have Pernicious Anemia. Out of these, 2 were positive for only intrinsic factor antibody , 5 were positive for only gastric parietal cell antibody while one patient was positive for both the antibodies. The latter patient was also found to be Anti TPO antibody positive and referred for further endocrinological evaluation. Of note is the factt hat 2 patients had equivocal intrinsic factor antibody levels while 3 patients had equivocal gastric parietal cell antibody levels within the values falling on the upper limit of the reference range and for all practical purposes, these patients were treated as having pernicious anemia.
Conclusion
The prevalence of pernicious anemia is reported to be lower in Chinese, Blacks and the Indian population. Till date, studies reported in India have further emphasized this fact. However, this retrospective study shows that the incidence of pernicious anmeia is higher than reported and has important implications in the treatment of the patients.
Session topic: 29. Enzymopathies, membranopathies and other anemias
Keyword(s): Anemia, antibody, Autoantibody, Pancytopenia