Study of Clinical and Haematological Profile of Vitamin b12 Deficiency and to Check Response to Vitamin b12 Therapy

Abstract

Objectives: Vitamin B 12 (cobalamin) deficiency has been a known clinical entity for long time. Average Indian diet is deficient in vitamin B12. Deficiency of vitamin is associated with a wide spectrum of haematologic and neuropsychiatric disorders that can often be reversed by early diagnosis and prompt treatment. Diagnosis is easy and treatment ids cheap. Hence, we conducted this study to find patterns of presentation in patients with vitamin B12 deficiency with haematological profile and to check response to therapy. Material and Methods: A longitudinal study was conducted between September 2016 and November 2018 in the Department of Medicine at Government Medical College, Nagpur, India. One hundred patients whose serum vitamin B12 level was <250 pg/mL were included in the study. Results: Mean vitamin B12 level in patients was 162.64 ± 43.31 pg/mL. Most of patients were male and deficiency was common among vegetarians. History of alcoholism was present in 41% of patients. The most common complaint was fatigue present in 87% of patients. Most common neuropsychiatric complaint was tingling and numbness (14%). Most common sign elicited was pallor in 96% of patients while icterus and knuckle hyperpigmentation was present in 57% and 74% of patients, respectively. Mean haemoglobin (Hb) among cases was 6.09 ± 2.21 g/dL. After treatment, all the patients showed a dramatic response in Hb level, mean corpuscular volume, red cell distribution width and mean platelet volume. Conclusion: Deficiency of vitamin B12 is associated with plethora of clinical manifestations. Males, alcoholics and vegetarians are at risk. Early treatment halts late complications.