table of contents
- Read more :Anemia & Types of Anemia and Their Causes
- Definitions & types of anemia and its treatments
- Definition Return to
- Anemia is a lower than normal number of red blood cells (erythrocytes) in the blood, usually measured by a decrease in the amount of hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is the red pigment in red blood cells that transports oxygen.
- There are many types and potential causes of anemia. For information about a specific type of anemia, see one of the following articles:
- Anemia - B12 deficiency
- Anemia - folate deficiency
- Anemia - iron deficiency
- Anemia due to chronic disease
- Hemolytic anemia
- Hemolytic anemia - G-6-PD deficiency
- Idiopathic aplastic anemia
- Idiopathic autoimmune hemolytic anemia
- Immune hemolytic anemia
- Immune hemolytic anemia - drug-induced
- Megaloblastic anemia
- Pernicious anemia
- Secondary aplastic anemia
- Sickle cell anemia
- Anemia - B12 deficiency
- Alternative names Return to top
- Macrocytic anemia
- Definition
- Anemia is a drop in the number of red blood cells. This can be caused by a lack of vitamin B12
- .
- Causes, incidence, and risk factors
- Vitamin B12 is essential for normal nervous system function and blood cell production. The main sources of vitamin B12 include meat, eggs, and dairy products. For vitamin B12 to be absorbed by the body, it must bind to intrinsic factor, a protein secreted by cells in the stomach.
- Causes of vitamin B12 deficiency include:
- A diet low in vitamin B12 (for example, a strict vegetarian diet that excludes all meat, fish, dairy products, and eggs)
- Chronic alcoholism
- Abdominal or intestinal surgery that affects intrinsic factor production or absorption
- Crohn's disease
- Intestinal malabsorption disorders
- Fish tape worm
- Pernicious anemia, which is caused by a lack of intrinsic factor
- The risk factors are related to the causes.
- Symptoms
- Loss of appetite
- Diarrhea
- Numbness and tingling of hands and feet
- Paleness
- Shortness of breath
- Fatigue
- Weakness
- Sore mouth and tongue
- Confusion or change in mental status in severe or advanced cases
- Signs and tests
- A physical evaluation of the patient's neurological signs may show depressed deep tendon reflexes, decreased position sense, decreased vibration sense, or positive Babinski reflex. Other signs and tests include the following:
- CBC results show low hematocrit with an elevated MCV
- Bone marrow examination
- Elevated LDH
- Below-normal vitamin B12 level
- Schilling test (to determine where the deficiency in B12 absorption lies).
- Treatment
- Treatment depends on the cause of the anemia:
- Pernicious anemia requires lifelong therapy with vitamin B12 injections.
- Anemia caused by a lack of vitamin B12 can be corrected by vitamin pills combined with a more balanced diet. It may be treated initially with vitamin B12 injections.
- Anemia caused by malabsorption is treated with vitamin B12 injections until the condition improves.
- Expectations (prognosis) Return to top
- Treatment for this form of anemia is usually effective.
- Complications
- The signs and symptoms related to the central nervous system may be irreversible if treatment is not begun within 6 months of when these symptoms begin.
- Vitamin B12 affects epithelial cells (cells that form the outer surface of the body and line inner passageways). Therefore, a lack of B12 may cause a false-positive Pap smear.
- Calling your health care provider
- Call your health care provider if you have any of the symptoms of anemia.
- Prevention
- Anemia caused by a lack of vitamin B12 can be prevented through a well-balanced diet. B12 injections can prevent anemia after surgeries known to cause vitamin B12 deficiency. Early diagnosis and prompt treatment can limit the severity of this anemia as well as the neurologic complications.
- Megaloblastic anemia - view of red blood cells
- This picture shows large, dense, oversized, red blood cells (RBCs) that are seen in megaloblastic anemia. Megaloblastic anemia can occur when there is a deficiency of vitamin B-12.
- Read more :Complete Blood Count Test (CBC)
- Read more :Interpretation of Complete Blood Count (CBC): Your Key to Early Detection of Health Issues.
Definitions & types of anemia and its treatments
Definition Return to
Anemia is a lower than normal number of red blood cells (erythrocytes) in the blood, usually measured by a decrease in the amount of hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is the red pigment in red blood cells that transports oxygen.
There are many types and potential causes of anemia. For information about a specific type of anemia, see one of the following articles:
Anemia - B12 deficiency
Anemia - folate deficiency
Anemia - iron deficiency
Anemia due to chronic disease
Hemolytic anemia
Hemolytic anemia - G-6-PD deficiency
Idiopathic aplastic anemia
Idiopathic autoimmune hemolytic anemia
Immune hemolytic anemia
Immune hemolytic anemia - drug-induced
Megaloblastic anemia
Pernicious anemia
Secondary aplastic anemia
Sickle cell anemia
Anemia - B12 deficiency
Alternative names Return to top
Macrocytic anemia
Definition
Anemia is a drop in the number of red blood cells. This can be caused by a lack of vitamin B12
.
Causes, incidence, and risk factors
Vitamin B12 is essential for normal nervous system function and blood cell production. The main sources of vitamin B12 include meat, eggs, and dairy products. For vitamin B12 to be absorbed by the body, it must bind to intrinsic factor, a protein secreted by cells in the stomach.
Causes of vitamin B12 deficiency include:
A diet low in vitamin B12 (for example, a strict vegetarian diet that excludes all meat, fish, dairy products, and eggs)
Chronic alcoholism
Abdominal or intestinal surgery that affects intrinsic factor production or absorption
Crohn's disease
Intestinal malabsorption disorders
Fish tape worm
Pernicious anemia, which is caused by a lack of intrinsic factor
The risk factors are related to the causes.
Symptoms
Loss of appetite
Diarrhea
Numbness and tingling of hands and feet
Paleness
Shortness of breath
Fatigue
Weakness
Sore mouth and tongue
Confusion or change in mental status in severe or advanced cases
Signs and tests
A physical evaluation of the patient's neurological signs may show depressed deep tendon reflexes, decreased position sense, decreased vibration sense, or positive Babinski reflex. Other signs and tests include the following:
CBC results show low hematocrit with an elevated MCV
Bone marrow examination
Elevated LDH
Below-normal vitamin B12 level
Schilling test (to determine where the deficiency in B12 absorption lies).
Treatment
Treatment depends on the cause of the anemia:
Pernicious anemia requires lifelong therapy with vitamin B12 injections.
Anemia caused by a lack of vitamin B12 can be corrected by vitamin pills combined with a more balanced diet. It may be treated initially with vitamin B12 injections.
Anemia caused by malabsorption is treated with vitamin B12 injections until the condition improves.
Expectations (prognosis) Return to top
Treatment for this form of anemia is usually effective.
Complications
The signs and symptoms related to the central nervous system may be irreversible if treatment is not begun within 6 months of when these symptoms begin.
Vitamin B12 affects epithelial cells (cells that form the outer surface of the body and line inner passageways). Therefore, a lack of B12 may cause a false-positive Pap smear.
