title: Vitamin B-12 abnormalities in HIV-infected patients.
abstract: A prospective study of 60 consecutively admitted patients with HIV infection was performed to document the prevalence, etiology and manifestations of low serum vitamin B-12 in such patients. Low serum B-12 levels were found in 10 patients (16.7%). In 6, vitamin B-12 absorption was impaired and hog intrinsic factor addition did not improve it. Patients with low vitamin B-12 levels showed lower hemoglobin, leukocytes, lymphocytes, CD4 lymphocytes and CD4/CD8 lymphocyte ratio than HIV patients with physiological serum vitamin B-12 levels. However, bone marrow megaloblastosis was found in only 3 low vitamin B-12 patients and the deoxyuridine suppression test was pathological in only 1 case. In 7 patients, parenteral treatment was begun with variable response despite serum vitamin B-12 correction. In conclusion, low serum vitamin B-12 is often found in HIV-infected patients and it could be related to malabsorption, but clear megaloblastic abnormalities and treatment response could not be demonstrated. A decreased concentration of the serum binders due to disturbances in the leukocytes and related immunocompetent cell may play an additional role.
authors.affiliation: Hematology Department, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: A F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Remacha
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Riera
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cadafalch
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gimferrer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000740:Anemia / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D005744:Gastric Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D006879:Hydroxocobalamin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007437:Intrinsic Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014805:Vitamin B 12 / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D007437:Intrinsic Factor; D014805:Vitamin B 12; D006879:Hydroxocobalamin