title: Vitamin B12 deficiency. Prevalence among South Asians at a Toronto clinic.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To estimate the prevalence of vitamin B12 deficiency in adult South Asian patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective chart review.
  
  
  METHODS
  Family practice clinic in Toronto, Ont.
  
  
  METHODS
  Records of 988 South Asian patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Of 1000 randomly selected records, we found 988 charts. From charts with at least one documented B12 level, we extracted data on age, mean corpuscular volume (MCV), hemoglobin and ferritin levels, and diet (if available). Descriptive and analytic statistics were calculated.
  
  
  METHODS
  Levels of serum B12 and factors associated with low levels of B12.
  
  
  RESULTS
  B12 results were documented in 49% of charts; 46% of results showed deficiency. Patients older than 65 and vegetarians were more likely to be B12 deficient. Low serum B12 levels were positively correlated with low hemoglobin and ferritin levels and poorly correlated with low MCV levels.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Many more South Asian patients than patients in the general population have vitamin B12 deficiency. A vegetarian diet seems a strong risk factor. A single low result, however, might not indicate true B12 deficiency.
authors.affiliation: Rexdale Community Health Centre, Ontario. patriciabaltazar@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Anil K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: Alkarim
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Damji
authors.forename: Aparna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Uppaluri
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001213:Asian / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014676:Diet, Vegetarian / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000208:ethnology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009864:Ontario / Q000453:epidemiology; D010154:Pakistan / Q000208:ethnology; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014806:Vitamin B 12 Deficiency / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000209:etiology