Pernicious anemia occurs when your body can’t absorb enough vitamin B-12, which is needed to make healthy red blood cells. Pernicious anemia is an autoimmune condition. Possible complications of pernicious anemia include heart problems, chronic anemia, stomach cancer, and brain and nerve damage. Anemia is a medical condition in which the blood is low in normal red blood cells. Pernicious anemia is one of the vitaminIt’s caused by an inability to absorb the vitamin B-12 needed for your body to make enough healthy red blood cells. is a rare condition, with a prevalence of .1 percent in the general population and 1.9 percent in people who are older than 60 years, according to the Journal of Blood This type of anemia is called “pernicious” because it was once considered a deadly disease. This was due to the lack ofToday, though, the disease is relatively easy to treat with B-12 injections or supplements. However, if left untreated, vitamin B-12
deficiency can lead to severe complications. The progression of pernicious anemia is slow. It may be difficult to recognize the symptoms because you may have become used to not feeling well. Commonly overlooked symptoms include: In rare cases of pernicious anemia, people may have neurological symptoms. an unsteady gaitspasticity, which is stiffness and tightness in the neuropathy, which is numbness in the arms and legsprogressive lesions of the spinal cordmemory loss Other symptoms of a B-12 deficiency, which can overlap with pernicious anemia, include: nausea and vomiting confusiondepressionconstipationloss of appetiteheartburn Lack of vitamin B-12 People with anemia have low levels of normal red blood cells (RBCs). Vitamin B-12 plays a role in creating RBCs, so the body requires an adequate intake of vitamin B-12. Vitamin B-12 is found in: meatpoultryshellfisheggsdairy productsfortified soy, nut, and rice milksnutritional supplements
Your body also needs a type of protein called intrinsic factor (IF) to absorb vitamin B-12. IF is a protein produced by cellsAfter you consume vitamin B-12, it travels to your stomach where it binds with IF. The two are then absorbed in the last part of your In most cases of pernicious anemia, the body’s immune system attacks and destroys the cells that produce IF in the stomach. cells are destroyed, the body can’t make IF and can’t absorb vitamin B-12. Without enough vitamin B-12, the body will produce abnormally large red blood cells called macrocytes. large size, these abnormal cells may not be able to leave the bone marrow, where red blood cells are made, and enter the bloodstream. This decreases the amount of oxygen-carrying red blood cells in the bloodstream and can lead to fatigue Pernicious anemia is a type of macrocyticIt’s sometimes called megaloblastic anemia because of the abnormally large size of the red blood cells produced.
Pernicious anemia is not the only kind ofOther causes of abnormally large red blood cells include: long-term use of certain medications and antibiotics, such as methotrexate and azathioprinechronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)chronic alcoholismfolate (vitamin B-9) deficiency caused by poor diet or conditions Other vitamin B-12 deficiencies, such as those caused by poor diet, are often confused with pernicious anemia. anemia is strictly an autoimmune disorder. It results from a lack of IF andThis vitamin deficiency can be treated by altering your diet or adding a B-12 supplement or B-12 injection to your healthcare regimen. In people with B-12 deficiencies or regular anemia, the body can absorb B-12. On the other hand, someone with pernicious anemia struggles to do so. Pernicious anemia is also seen in children who are born with a genetic defect that prevents them from making IF. Some individuals are more likely than others to develop pernicious anemia.
having a family history of the diseasebeing of Northern European or Scandinavian descenthaving type 1 diabetes, an autoimmune condition, or certain intestinal diseases such as Crohn’s diseasehaving had part of your stomach or intestines removedbeing 60 years or olderbeing strictly vegetarian and not taking a B-12 Your risk of developing pernicious anemia also increases as you get older. Your doctor will usually need to do several tests to diagnose you with pernicious anemia. This test measures vitamin B-12 and iron levels in blood serum. Vitamin B-12 deficiency test: Your doctor can assess your vitamin B-12 levels throughLow levels indicate a deficiency. doctor may also want to see if there has been any damage to your stomach walls. They can diagnose this through a biopsy. The biopsy involves removing a sample of the stomach’s cells. The cells are then examined microscopically for any IF deficiency test: Intrinsic factor deficiency is tested through a blood sample.
The blood is tested for antibodies against IF and the stomach’s cells. In a healthy immune system, antibodies are responsible for finding bacteria or viruses. They then mark the invading germsIn an autoimmune disease such as pernicious anemia, the body’s antibodies stop distinguishing between diseased and healthy tissue. case, the antibodies destroy the cells making IF. The treatment for pernicious anemia is aYour doctor will treat any existing vitamin B-12 deficiency and check for iron deficiency. vitamin B-12 injections that are slowly decreased over timecomplete blood counts to measure vitamin B-12 and iron levels in blood serumblood tests to monitor replacement treatments Vitamin B-12 injections can be given daily or weekly until the B-12 levels return to normal (or close to normal). first few weeks of treatment, your doctor may recommend limiting physicalAfter your vitamin B-12 levels are normal, you’ll only need to get
the shot once per month. You can administer the shots yourself or have someone else give them to you at home to save you trips to the doctor. After your B-12 levels are normal, your doctor may recommend you take regular doses of B-12 supplements instead of theThese come in pills, nasal gels, and sprays. Your doctor may want to monitor you on a long-term basis. This will help them identify possible serious effectsThe most dangerous complication is gastric cancer. They can check for the start of cancer at regular visits and through biopsies. Other potential complications of pernicious nerve damagedigestive tract problemsmemory problems, confusion, or other neurological These complications most often stem fromThey can be permanent. Many people with pernicious anemia require lifelong treatment and monitoring. This can help prevent long-term damage. symptoms of long-term damage include: an upset stomachdifficulty swallowingweight lossiron deficiency