A STUDY OF VARIOUS CLINICAL FEATURES MANIFESTED DUE TO THE DEFICIENCY OF VITAMIN B12 INCLUDING DETAILED NEUROLOGICAL AND HAEMATOLOGICAL FEATURES

BACKGROUND: Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin) plays an important role in DNA synthesis and neurologic function. Deficiency can lead to a wide spectrum of hematologic and neuropsychiatric disorders that can often be reversed by early diagnosis and prompt treatment. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Cross sectional descriptive study carried out in Medicine department, SMIMER, Surat during the period from June 2009 to December 2010. 30 patients whose Serum Vitamin B12 level <250 pg/ml were included. RESULT: The most common complaint was fatigue present in 29(96.7%) followed by anorexia, present in 19(63.3%) patients. Anemia was observed in 25(83.3%) patients. Out of this 25 patients with anemia 13(52%) patients had leucopenia, and 15(60%) patients had thrombocytopenia (platelet count<150000/cumm), while 10 (40%) patient had normal platelet count. 13(52%) out of 25 anemic patients had MCV of 80-100 fl, while 11(44%) had MCV more than 100 fl. 15 patients had neurological features, myeloneuropathy (4 patients) and neurocognitive disorder with neuropathy(4 patients) were the commonest feature. CONCLUSION: In patients with Vitamin B12 deficiency anorexia and fatigue are most common symptoms even in absence of anaemia. Anaemia can be associated with normal or high MCV. Pancytopenia is a common feature. The most common neurological presentations were neuropathy and neuropsychiatric involvement.