General Information About Pernicious Anemia
Disease Details and Frequently Asked Questions
It is a blood disorder that develops when the immune system mistakenly attacks the inner lining of the stomach, destroying the mechanism (intrinsic factor) that absorbs dietary vitamin B12 into the body.
In normal deficiency, the vitamin level drops because the person does not eat B12-containing meat or eggs (it is fixed by taking a pill). In pernicious anemia, no matter how much meat a person eats or how many pills they swallow, the vitamin cannot enter the bloodstream because the stomach cannot absorb it.
Along with pallor, palpitations, and fatigue due to anemia; symptoms include a swollen/red tongue (beefy red tongue), loss of taste, heartburn, and persistent numbness in the hands and feet.
Vitamin B12 is essential for the production of nerve sheaths (myelin). Prolonged malabsorption can lead to permanent nerve damage, gait disturbances, memory loss, and even progression into dementia.
It is suspected when the mean corpuscular volume (MCV) is high and B12 is low in a complete blood count. Definitive diagnosis is made by the presence of 'Anti-Parietal Cell' and 'Anti-Intrinsic Factor' antibodies in the blood, or via endoscopy.
Oral vitamin B12 pills have no place in treatment because the stomach cannot absorb them. The treatment involves administering vitamin B12 via intramuscular injections regularly for a lifetime.
Our health library contents are prepared for informational purposes only and with scientific data available at the time of recording. For all your questions, concerns, diagnosis, or treatment regarding your health, please consult your doctor or a healthcare institution.
