title: High prevalence of low serum vitamin B12 in a multi-ethnic Israeli population.
abstract: This study ascertained serum vitamin B12 levels among patients with Gaucher disease and among healthy Israelis. Serum B12 and metabolites' levels were studied in consecutive adult patients with Gaucher disease not treated with enzyme plus Ashkenazi Jewish neighbour-controls, together with healthy blood-donor volunteers of various ethnicities. Each group showed a high incidence of low serum B12 concentrations, with a 22.3% incidence among Ashkenazi Jews and 40% among patients with Gaucher disease. These findings raise questions on the individual and community levels of serum B12. We recommend evaluation of B12 levels among geographically contingent peoples.
authors.affiliation: Gaucher Clinic, Shaare Zedek Medical Centre, Jerusalem, Israel.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gielchinsky
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Elstein
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Green
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Elstein
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Algur
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lahad
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Shinar
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Abrahamov
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zimran
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018912:Arabs; D001782:Blood Donors; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D005776:Gaucher Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007493:Iraq / Q000208:ethnology; D007557:Israel / Q000453:epidemiology; D007585:Jews; D008297:Male; D008764:Methylmalonic Acid / Q000097:blood; D009018:Morocco / Q000208:ethnology; D015995:Prevalence; D014416:Tunisia / Q000208:ethnology; D014805:Vitamin B 12 / Q000097:blood; D014806:Vitamin B 12 Deficiency / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology; D015006:Yemen / Q000208:ethnology
chemical_list: D006710:Homocysteine; D008764:Methylmalonic Acid; D014805:Vitamin B 12