title: [Vitamin B12 deficiency in children--underestimated danger in the light of new knowledge].
abstract: Vitamin B12 (cobalamin) has two active forms, adenosylcobalamin and methylcobalamin which have a key role in two important metabolic pathways in humans and their deficiency is responsible for clinical problems. Cobalamin is essential during whole life, but its sufficient amount is extra important in fetal and neonatal period, when it is essential for normal child growth and development as well as for normal development of the central nervous system. Because of very complex transport and metabolism, its deficiency can be manifested in numerous congenital and acquired disorders. Vitamin B12 deficiency mostly has non-specific clinical features, it carries a great risk of permanent consequences, but most frequently it is easily curable if diagnosed on time. In Croatia cobalamin deficiency in children has been diagnosed too rarely. Accordingly, the aim of this paper is to point to the recently gained knowledge on cobalamin metabolism, present typical case reports and to provide guidelines for rapid and proper diagnostic and therapeutic approach.
authors.affiliation: Medicinski fakultet Sveucilista u Zagrebu, Zagreb.
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Juras
authors.forename: Ksenija
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fumić
authors.forename: Senka
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Izaković
authors.forename: Silvija
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Puseljić
authors.forename: Vida
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Culić
authors.forename: Slobodan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Galić
authors.forename: Andrea Dasović
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Buljević
authors.forename: Vesna
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Benjak
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Colić
authors.forename: Sanda Huljev
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Frković
authors.forename: Miljenka
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maradin
authors.forename: Vladimir
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sarnavka
authors.forename: Karmen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bilić
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Baumgartner
authors.forename: Ivo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Barić
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D014805:Vitamin B 12 / Q000378:metabolism; D014806:Vitamin B 12 Deficiency / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis
chemical_list: D014805:Vitamin B 12