scholarly journals ANEMIA AND VITAMIN B12 DEFICIENCY IN ELDERLY.

Author(s):  
Zaozianlungliu Gonmei ◽  
Supriya Dwivedi ◽  
Gurudayal Singh Toteja ◽  
Karuna Singh ◽  
Naval Kishore Vikram ◽  
...  

 Objective: The present study was carried out to assess the prevalence of anemia, vitamin B12 deficiency and hyperhomocysteinemia among elderly in slums of West Delhi.Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out among 234 elderly aged 60 and above in slums of West Delhi. 5 ml blood was collected from 116 elderly and was analyzed for hemoglobin, Vitamin B12 and homocysteine. Anemia was defined as hemoglobin <130 g/L and <120 g/l for male and female, respectively, Vitamin B12 deficiency as serum Vitamin B12 <203 pg/ml and hyperhomocysteinemia as serum homocysteine >15 μmol/l.Results: The overall prevalence of anemia, Vitamin B12 deficiency, and hyperhomocysteinemia among elderly was 57.76%, 36.36%, and 57.57%, respectively. Among anemic elderly, 33.33% and 64.15% had Vitamin B12 deficiency and hyperhomocysteinemia, respectively.Conclusion: More than half of the elderly population was anemic, while one-third was having Vitamin B12 deficiency.

Author(s):  
Zaozianlungliu Gonmei ◽  
Supriya Dwivedi ◽  
Gurudayal Singh Toteja ◽  
Karuna Singh ◽  
Naval Kishore Vikram ◽  
...  

 Objective: The present study was carried out to assess the prevalence of anemia, vitamin B12 deficiency and hyperhomocysteinemia among elderly in slums of West Delhi.Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out among 234 elderly aged 60 and above in slums of West Delhi. 5 ml blood was collected from 116 elderly and was analyzed for hemoglobin, Vitamin B12 and homocysteine. Anemia was defined as hemoglobin <130 g/L and <120 g/l for male and female, respectively, Vitamin B12 deficiency as serum Vitamin B12 <203 pg/ml and hyperhomocysteinemia as serum homocysteine >15 μmol/l.Results: The overall prevalence of anemia, Vitamin B12 deficiency, and hyperhomocysteinemia among elderly was 57.76%, 36.36%, and 57.57%, respectively. Among anemic elderly, 33.33% and 64.15% had Vitamin B12 deficiency and hyperhomocysteinemia, respectively.Conclusion: More than half of the elderly population was anemic, while one-third was having Vitamin B12 deficiency.


Author(s):  
Debasmita Bandyopadhyay ◽  
Jayati Roy Choudhury ◽  
Kasturi Mukherjee

Introduction: The prevalence of vitamin B12 deficiency is common (around 40%) in people older than 65 years of age and in people who are strict vegetarians. The major sources of Viamin B12 are meat, fish, dairy products and fortified cereals. Aim: To study the prevalence and common types of presentations of vitamin B12 deficiency among 20-80 years aged, non-vegetarian people attending a tertiary care hospital in a state of Eastern India. Materials and Methods: This hospital based cross-sectional study was conducted at IPGME&R and SSKM Hospital between July 2018 to December 2019. Serum samples were collected from 478 adult patients presenting with different symptoms like pallor, fatigue, numbness and tingling sensation in limbs, memory loss, alopecia etc., which may be related to vitamin B12 deficiency. These samples were screened for serum vitamin B12 level by chemiluminescence method in ADVIA, Centaur CP (SIEMENS). Data were analysed statistically by graph pad prism 8 software. Significance of the difference between means were detected using Student’s unpaired t-test and calculating the p-value (p-value <0.05 were considered as significant). Results: Among 184 females, 50 (27.17%) were found to be Vitamin B12 deficient (VBD). Among them, 18 (36%) had mild deficiency (serum vitamin B12 level 201-220 pmol/L), 22 (44%) had moderate (serum vitamin B12 level 150-200 pmol/L) and 10 (20%) had severe deficiency (serum vitamin B12 level <150 pmol/L). A total of 35 (70%) of the VBD females were of <50 years of age. Among 294 males, 83 (28.23%) were found to be VBD. Among them, 34 (41%) had mild deficiency (serum vitamin B12 level 201-220 pmol/L), 36 (43%) had moderate (serum vitamin B12 level 150-200 pmol/L) and 13 (16%) had severe deficiency (serum vitamin B12 level <150 pmol/L). Total 43 (51.8%) of VBD male persons were of <50 years age. Among VBD female patients, 24 (48%) had neuropathy and among VBD male patients, 54 (65%) had neuropathy. Conclusion: So, it can be concluded that if regular screening is done for serum vitamin B12 in symptomatic patients irrespective of age, a number of problems can be reduced or cured by diagnosing VBD patients and treating them with vitamin B12 either by dietary modification or medicinal supplementation.


2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 48-54
Author(s):  
Darshana Makwana ◽  
Deepak Kumar P ◽  
Pragathi Wadkar

Introduction : Prevalence of vitamin B12 deficiency is believed to increase with aging. The wide and non-specific spectrum of clinical presentations in patients poses a tough challenge to physicians suspecting vitamin B12 deficiency. Objectives : This study was conducted to collect data on prevalence and clinical features of vitamin B12 deficiency in apparently healthy elderly population visiting hospitals, as the results could help rationalize and direct the appropriate management of vitamin B12 status in elderly. Methods : This was a time bound cross sectional study where apparently healthy individuals >50 years of age were interviewed, examined and investigated in order to study their vitamin B12 concentrations and associated clinical profile. Results: A total of 103 participants were included. The mean vitamin B12 level of the study population was 327.07 pg/ml (S.D= 268.00). In the study, 43.7% (n=45 patients) had low vitamin B12 levels (vitamin B12 deficiency) and 17.5 % (n=18 patients) had subnormal vitamin B12 levels. Among all the symptoms recorded neurological followed by cardiovascular symptoms were more commonly recorded in the patients with vitamin B12 deficiency. Distal dysesthesia was more commonly present in patients with deficient (p 0.044) than in patients with normal vitamin B12 levels. Ataxia and Romberg’s sign positivity were more common in patients with vitamin B12 deficiency when compares to normal vitamin B12 levels (p 0.002 and 0.006, respectively). Conclusion: The study shows that vitamin B12 deficiency is a common problem among elderly and the treating physician should have high index of suspicion when they present with neurological complaints


Author(s):  
Laigden Dzed ◽  
Hari Prasad Pokhrel ◽  
Loday Zangpo ◽  
Dorji Pelzom ◽  
Ugyen Dendup

Introduction: Bhutanese school children are vulnerable to vitamin B12 deficiency as outbreaks of micronutrient deficiency diseases have been a common occurrence. The study presents the status of vitamin B12 deficiency among boarding school children from those seven districts. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted to determine serum vitamin B12 level. Data and blood samples were collected from 448 boarding school children from the seven districts of Bhutan. Serum cobalamin levels were assessed and relationship between factors analyzed. Results: The study found that 64 % of the school children were found to have vitamin B12 deficiency. Adjusted Odds Ratio for the vitamin deficiency among boarding school children from lower secondary and higher secondary schools were 4.05 and 3.3 respectively, when compared to those from the primary school. Starches were the most commonly served foods in boarding schools, while the animal source foods were served twice or less in a month. Conclusion: The study found a high prevalence of Vitamin B12 deficiency among boarding school children from seven districts. Boarding school meals had very less frequency of animal source foods.


2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 114-120
Author(s):  
Susianto Susianto

Introduction: Vegetarians consume plant-based foods with or without eggs and milk. Vegetarians are at risk of vitamin B12 deficiency, as natural sources of vitamin B12 are limited to animal-based foods. Vitamin B12 deficiency can lead to megaloblastic anemia, nerve damage and increase homocysteine level. Higher homocysteine level can increase the risk of coronary heart disease and stroke. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of vitamin B12 fortification on the level of serum vitamin B12 and homocysteine in vegetarian. Method: The research design was an experimental study, community trial. The samples were 42 vegetarians with vitamin B12 deficiency (< 156 pmol/L) selected from 118 vegetarians as members of Indonesia Vegetarian Society (IVS) Pekanbaru, treated by vitamin B12 fortified oatmeal for three months from March to June 2010.  Serum vitamin B12 and homocysteine were measured by electrochemiluminescent immunoassay and microparticle enzyme immunoassay method respectively. Result: Prevalence of vitamin B12 deficiency in vegetarian was 35.6%. Statistical analysis showed a significant increase of serum vitamin B12 from 124.6 to 284.6 pmol/L (p=0.001) and significant decrease of serum homocysteine from 20.1 to 15.1 µmol/L (p=0.001). Conclusion: Consumption of vitamin B12 fortified oatmeal increases the level of serum vitamin B12 and decreases the level of serum homocysteine significantly in vegetarian with vitamin B12 deficiency.


2016 ◽  
Vol 134 (6) ◽  
pp. 473-479 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charbel Pereira Damião ◽  
Amannda Oliveira Rodrigues ◽  
Maria Fernanda Miguens Castellar Pinheiro ◽  
Rubens Antunes da Cruz Filho ◽  
Gilberto Peres Cardoso ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT: CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE: The prevalence of vitamin B12 deficiency varies from 5.8% to 30% among patients undergoing long-term treatment with metformin. Because of the paucity of data on Brazilian patients, this study aimed to determine the frequency of B12 deficiency and related factors among Brazilian patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) using metformin. DESIGN AND SETTING: Cross-sectional study at a public university hospital. METHODS: Patients with T2DM and a control group of non-diabetics were included. Serum B12 levels were measured and biochemical B12 deficiency was defined as serum levels < 180 pg/ml. Associations between B12 deficiency and age, duration of T2DM, duration of use and dosage of metformin, and use of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) or histamine H2 antagonists were determined. RESULTS: 231 T2DM patients using metformin (T2DM-met) and 231 controls were included. No difference in the frequency of PPI or H2-antagonist use was seen between the groups. B12 deficiency was more frequent in the T2DM-met group (22.5% versus 7.4%) and this difference persisted after excluding PPI/H2-antagonist users (17.9% versus 5.6%). The factors that interfered with serum B12 levels were PPI/H2-antagonist use and duration of metformin use ≥ 10 years. Use of PPI/H2-antagonists was associated with B12 deficiency, with an odds ratio of 2.60 (95% confidence interval, 1.34-5.04). CONCLUSIONS: Among T2DM patients, treatment with metformin and concomitant use of PPI/H2-antagonists are associated with a higher chance of developing B12 deficiency than among non-diabetics.


Nutrients ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 334
Author(s):  
Živa Lavriša ◽  
Hristo Hristov ◽  
Maša Hribar ◽  
Katja Žmitek ◽  
Anita Kušar ◽  
...  

Vitamin B12 deficiency poses a health concern, especially in vulnerable populations. Dietary vitamin B12 intake was obtained by two 24 h dietary recalls and food propensity questionnaires in a representative Slovenian cross-sectional food consumption survey, SI.Menu (n = 1248 subjects; 10–74 years). For a subgroup of 280 participants, data on serum vitamin B12 were available through the Nutrihealth study. The estimated usual population-weighted mean daily vitamin B12 intakes were 6.2 µg (adults), 5.4. µg (adolescents), and 5.0 µg (elderly). Lower intakes were observed in females. Inadequate daily vitamin B12 intake (<4 µg) was detected in 37.3% of adolescents, 31.7% of adults, and 58.3% elderlies. The significant predictors for inadequate daily vitamin B12 intake were physical activity score in all age groups, sex in adolescents and adults, financial status and smoking in elderly, and employment in adults. Meat (products), followed by milk (products), made the highest vitamin B12 contribution in all age groups. In adolescents, another important vitamin B12 contributor was cereals. The mean population-weighted serum vitamin B12 levels were 322.1 pmol/L (adults) and 287.3 pmol/L (elderly). Low serum vitamin B12 concentration (<148 nmol/L) and high serum homocysteine (>15 µmol/L) were used as criteria for vitamin B12 deficiency. The highest deficiency prevalence was found in elderlies (7.0%), particularly in males (7.9%). Factors associated with high serum homocysteine were also investigated. In conclusion, although vitamin B12 status was generally not critical, additional attention should be focused particularly to the elderly.


Background: Vitamin B12 deficiency may be related to peripheral neuropathy in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Level of B12 in T2DM observed by many investigators showed variable results. Studies on vitamin B12 in T2DM are very limited in Bangladesh. Objectives: To observe serum vitamin B12 level in newly diagnosed T2DM patients. Methods: Observational cross-sectional study encompassing 50 newly diagnosed T2DM and 50 controls as per American Diabetes Association (ADA) criteria. Vitamin B12 and Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) were measured for all. Results: Both mean (492.46±28.82 vs. 346.48±19.65 pg/mL, mean±SEM; p=<0.001) and median (435.50 vs. 334.50 pg/mL) values of serum vitamin B12 were found to be higher in T2DM than those of controls. None of the diabetic subjects were found to be B12 deficient whereas 6 were borderline deficient; these frequencies were 7 and 11 respectively among the controls. Vitamin B12 level was statistically similar in patients with or without clinically evident peripheral neuropathy (mean±SEM; 523.48±39.39 vs. 441.84±38.76 pg/mL, p=0.172). B12 level showed positive correlation with fasting plasma glucose (FPG, r=0.285, p=0.061) and HbA1c (r=0.287, p= 0.043) in diabetes group but there was no correlation with body mass index (BMI). Conclusion: Vitamin B12 is found sufficient in newly diagnosed Bangladeshi T2DM patients.


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