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Megaloblastic anemia - Symptom

Alternative Names

Anemia - megaloblastic

Symptoms:

Change in skin color
Diarrhea
Headaches
Loss of appetite
Pale skin color
Sore mouth and tongue
Tingling and numbness of hands and feet
Tiredness

Signs and tests:

Examination of the nervous system may show:

Abnormal reflexes
Decreased sense of position
Decreased sense of vibration
Serum ferritin Tests include:

Bone marrow examination
Complete blood count
Schilling test
Serum B12 level
Serum folate level
Serum methylmalonic acid

Megaloblastic anemia - view of red blood cells

Hypersegmented PMN (Close-up)

Blood cells

Reviewed last on: 11/23/2008
David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; and Yi-Bin Chen, MD, Leukemia/Bone Marrow Transplant Program, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

References

Antony AC. Megoblastic anemias. In: Goldman L, Ausiello D, eds. Cecil Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2007:chap 170.

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