Gastrointestinal abnormalities in vitamin B[12] deficient patients with megaloblastic anemia

ABSTRACT

In a retrospective cohort study, hospital records of 220 patients [119 males and 101 females, age 1 year-80 years] with megaloblastic anemia were examined to find out any relationship of gastrointestinal abnormalities with vitamin B[12] and folate deficiencies in these patients. Forty three percent of the patients were folate-deficient [serum folate levels vitamin B[12]-deficient [serum B[12] levels abnormalities [gastritis, malabsorption and infection] in B[12]-deficient patients were marginally significant [p=0.05] compared to the abnormalities in B[12]-normal patients. Severe dyserythropoiesis was more common in vitamin B[12]-deficient and folate-deficient patients compared to B[12]-normal and folate-normal patients. However, the proportions were not statistically significant. Marginally significant occurrence of gastrointestinal abnormalities in vitamin B[12]-deficient subjects points towards the notion that poor dietary intake along with poor gut absorption could be contributing to the high prevalence of vitamin B[12] deficiency in this population