Megaloblastic anaemia caused by a nutritional deficit of vitamin B12

Authors

  • Pedro Viegas Serviço de Medicina I do Hospital de São Bernardo, Setúbal
  • Vítor Augusto Serviço de Medicina I do Hospital de São Bernardo, Setúbal
  • Julieta Sousa Serviço de Medicina I do Hospital de São Bernardo, Setúbal
  • Fok Sou Wai Serviço de Medicina I do Hospital de São Bernardo, Setúbal
  • F. Fonseca Ferreira Serviço de Medicina I do Hospital de São Bernardo, Setúbal

Keywords:

megaloblastic anaemia, cobalamin, vegetarianism

Abstract

The authors present a case report of megaloblastic anaemia, detected after a three month duration, self infiicted, diet, which excluded meat, fish, eggs and fat, following a diagnosis of hyperlipidaemia by the family doctor.

After in-hospital investigations excluded severa/ probable causes of megaloblastosis a nutritional deficiency of vitamin B12 admitted.

Treatment with cobalamin and dietary modification lead to total regression of symptoms and laboratory findings, which further confirmed the initial diagnostic hypothesis.

The authors publish this case report due to its peculiarity resulting from involuntary vegetarianism complicated by megaloblastic anaemia.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Hoflbrand AY. Megaloblastic anaemia and miscellaneous deficiency anaemias. ln: Weatherall D.I. Ledinghan JGG, Warrell DA, eds. Oxford Text Book or Medicine, 3rd ed. Oxford University Press 1996 3484-3500.

Chanarin I, Malkowska V, O'Hea AM, Rinsler MG, Price AB. Megaloblastic anaemia in a vegetarian Hindu community. Lancet 1985; 2(8465) 1168-1172.

Matthews JH, Wood JK. Megaloblastic anaemia in vegetarian Asians. Clin Lah Haemalol 1984: 6(1 ): 1-7

lnamdar-Dcshmurkh AB. Jathar VS, Joseph DA, Satoskar RS. Erythrocyte vitamin B,, activity in healthy lndian lactovegetarians. Br J Haematol 1976: 32(3): 395-401

Baker SJ, Malhan VI. Evidcnce regarding the minimal daily requirement of dietary vitamin B12 Am J Clin Nutr 1981; 34( 1 1 ):

-2433.

Cheron O. Girot R, Z1ttoun J, Mouy R, Schmitz J, Rey J. Severe megaloblastic anemia in 6-month-old girl breast-fed by a vegetarian mother. Arch Fr Pediatr 1989; 46(3): 205-207.

Benboubker L, Colombat P Anémic mégaloblastique de l 'adulte. Physiopathologie, étiologie, diagnostic. príncipes du traitement. Rev Prat 1991; 41(17): 1619-1624.

Savage D, Gangaidzo l, Lindenbaum J, et al. Vitarnin B12 deficiency is the primary cause of megaloblastic anaemia in Zimbabwe. Br J Haematol 1994; 86(4): 844-850.

McKee LC Jr. Fever in megaloblastic anemia. South Med J 1979: 72( 1 1) 1423-1424, 1428.

Chanarin I. Stephenson E. Vegetarian dict and cobalamin deficiency: their association with tuberculosis . J Clin Pathol 1988: 41(7): 759-762.

Tschop M, Folwaczny C. Schindlbeck N. Loeschke K Megaloblastic anemia due to inadequate nutrition. Dtsch Med Wochenschr 1997; 122(25-26): 820-824.

Additional Files

Published

1999-12-31

How to Cite

1.
Viegas P, Augusto V, Sousa J, Wai FS, Fonseca Ferreira F. Megaloblastic anaemia caused by a nutritional deficit of vitamin B12. RPMI [Internet]. 1999 Dec. 31 [cited 2024 Dec. 18];6(4):264-8. Available from: https://revista.spmi.pt/index.php/rpmi/article/view/2088

Issue

Section

Case Reports

Similar Articles

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.

Most read articles by the same author(s)