[Update of pernicious anemia. A retrospective study of 49 cases].
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to describe the present clinical characteristics of the pernicious anemia (PA).


METHODS
It is a retrospective (1996-2002) multicenter (five departments of internal medicine) study of 49 patients presenting an established cobalamin deficiency related to PA.


RESULTS
The median age of the patients was 74 years (25-93), the female/male ratio 2:9. Several autoimmune disorders were noted in 35% of the patients. Various clinical manifestations, mainly neurological, cutaneous and thrombotic, were found in 65.4% of the patients, at least one hematological abnormalities in 100%. Average serum vitamin B12 and homocystein levels were with 73 pg/ml (20-1960) and 42.9 micromol/l (7, 8-124). Anti-intrinsic factor or anti-parietal gastric cells antibodies were found in 87.5% and 62% of the patients (at least one antibody, in 96%) abnormal Schilling's test results in 86%. All the followed patients were successful treated with intramuscular (n = 27) or oral crystalline cyanocobalamin (n = 5).


CONCLUSIONS
PA was associated with several autoimmune disorders; PA may be responsible of various clinical manifestations or biological abnormalities; and oral crystalline cyanocobalamin treatment may be successful.
Loukili
N H
NH
Service de médecine interne, diabète et maladies métaboliques de la clinique médicale B, hôpitaux universitaires de Strasbourg, 1, place de l'Hôpital, 67091 Strasbourg, France.
Noel
E
E
Blaison
G
G
Goichot
B
B
Kaltenbach
G
G
Rondeau
M
M
Andrès
E
E
D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D000368:Aged; D000752:Anemia, Pernicious / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology*; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012546:Schilling Test; D012737:Sex Factors; D014805:Vitamin B 12 / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D014805:Vitamin B 12