Abstract

PAZ, R. De  and  HERNANDEZ-NAVARRO, F.. Management, prevention and control of pernicious anemia. Nutr. Hosp. [online]. 2005, vol.20, n.6, pp.433-435. ISSN 1699-5198.

Pernicious anemia is the most frequent cause of megaloblastic anemia in our area, and it is the result of a vitamin B₁₂ deficiency due, itself, to the de-crease or absence of intrinsic factor (IF) because of gastric mucosa atrophy or autoimmune destruction of IF-producing parietal cells. With the existence of a severe gastric atrophy, there is a decrease in acid and IF production and a further change in vitamin B₁₂ absorption. Fifty percent of the cases are associated to anti-IF antibodies, which presence in other autoimmune diseases is exceptional. In patients with pernicious anemia, measurement of anti-IF antibodies has high specificity (95%); however, measurement of anti-parietal cells antibodies has low specificity. The first-choice treatment is adminis-tration of vitamin B₁₂ intramuscularly. The regimen is the administration of 1 mg of vitamin B₁₂ daily for one week, weekly thereafter for one month and, then, every 2-3 months for life.

Keywords : Vitamin B 12; Intrinsic factor; Megaloblastic anemia.

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