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Pernicious anemia

• Overview
• Symptoms
• Treatment
• Prevention

Alternative Names:

Macrocytic achylic anemia; Congenital pernicious anemia; Juvenile pernicious anemia; Vitamin B12 deficiency (malabsorption)

Treatment:

Monthly vitamin B12 injections are the definitive treatment to correct the vitamin B12 deficiency. This therapy corrects the anemia and may correct the neurological complications if given soon enough.

Since about 1% of vitamin B12 is absorbed (even in the absence of intrinsic factor), some doctors recommend that elderly patients with gastric atrophy take oral vitamin B12 supplements in addition to monthly injections.

There is also a preparation of vitamin B12 that may be given intranasally (in the nose). A well-balanced diet is essential to provide other elements such as folic acid , iron, and vitamin C for healthy blood cell development.

Expectations (prognosis):

The outcome is usually excellent with treatment.

Complications:

• People with pernicious anemia may have gastric polyps and get gastric cancer and gastric carcinoid tumors twice as often than the normal population.
• Persistent neurological defects may be present if treatment is delayed.
• Vitamin B12 deficiency affects the appearance of all epithelial cells, therefore an untreated woman may obtain a false positive pap smear .

Calling your health care provider:

Call your health care provider if symptoms suggestive of vitamin B12 deficiency develop.

• Review Date: 10/31/2005
• Reviewed By: William Matsui, MD, Assistant Professor of Oncology, Division of Hematologic Malignancies, The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, Baltimore, MD. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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