Abstract
SUMMARYIn a series of 179 adult patients with megaloblastic anæmia there were 95 cases of pernicious anæmia and 38 cases of nutritional megaloblastic anæmia. These two conditions were difficult to distinguish clinically in many instances, especially if the patient was elderly and did not have an obviously faulty diet. The estimation of serum vitamin B12 concentration and radioactive vitamin B12 absorption tests were valuable in differential diagnosis ; but there was some overlap in results in the two groups, and these tests need interpretation in the light of other clinical and laboratory findings.Fourteen patients suffered from post‐gastrectomy megaloblastic anæmia. In five, the mechanism appeared to be lack of intrinsic factor secretion, in five, nutritional deficiency of folic acid, and in four, intestinal malabsorption.
Published Version
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