Hematinic deficiencies, hyperhomocysteinemia, and gastric parietal cell antibody positivity in atrophic glossitis patients with normocytosis

Significantly lower mean serum vitamin B12 and folic acid levels and a significantly higher frequency of serum iron deficiency in younger than in older atrophic glossitis patients

Background/purpose

: Our previous study found that 19.0%, 16.9%, 5.3%, 2.3%, and 11.9% of 1064 atrophic glossitis (AG) patients have anemia, serum iron, vitamin B12, and folic acid deficiencies, and hyperhomocysteinemia, respectively. This study mainly evaluated the anemia, hematinic deficiencies, and hyperhomocysteinemia in 224 younger (≤50 years old) and 840 older (>50 years old) AG patients.

Materials and methods

The blood hemoglobin (Hb) and serum iron, vitamin B12, folic acid, and homocysteine levels in 224 younger and 840 older AG patients were measured and compared with the corresponding levels in 112 younger (≤50 years old) and 420 older (>50 years old) healthy control subjects (HCSs), respectively.

Results

We found that 224 younger AG patients had significantly lower mean blood Hb and serum iron levels than 112 younger HCSs. Moreover, 840 older AG patients had significantly lower mean blood Hb and serum iron levels and a significantly higher mean serum homocysteine level than 420 older HCSs. In addition, 224 younger AG patients had significantly lower mean serum vitamin B12 and folic acid levels, a lower mean serum homocysteine level (marginal significance, P = 0.056), a significantly higher frequency of serum iron deficiency, and a significantly lower frequency of hyperhomocysteinemia than 840 older AG patients.

Conclusion

The younger AG patients do have significantly lower mean serum vitamin B12 and folic acid levels, a significantly higher frequency of serum iron deficiency, and a significantly lower frequency of hyperhomocysteinemia than the older AG patients.

Significantly higher frequencies of macrocytosis, anemia, serum vitamin B12 and folic acid deficiencies, and hyperhomocysteinemia in male than in female atrophic glossitis patients

Background/purpose

Our previous study found that 19.0%, 16.9%, 5.3%, 2.3%, 11.9%, and 26.7% of 1064 atrophic glossitis (AG) patients have anemia, serum iron, vitamin B12, and folic acid deficiencies, hyperhomocysteinemia, and serum gastric parietal cell antibody (GPCA) positivity, respectively. This study evaluated the anemia, hematinic deficiencies, and hyperhomocysteinemia in 150 male and 914 female AG patients.

Materials and methods

The blood hemoglobin (Hb) and serum iron, vitamin B12, folic acid, homocysteine, GPCA levels in 150 male and 914 female AG patients were measured and compared with the corresponding levels in 75 male and 457 female healthy control subjects (HCSs), respectively.

Results

We found that 150 male AG patients had significantly lower mean blood Hb, serum iron, vitamin B12, and folic acid levels, and significantly higher mean serum homocysteine levels than 75 male HCSs. Moreover, 914 female AG patients had significantly lower mean blood Hb and serum iron levels and significantly higher mean serum homocysteine level than 457 female HCSs. In addition, 150 male AG patients had significantly higher mean blood Hb and serum homocysteine levels, significantly lower mean serum vitamin B12 and folic acid levels, and significantly higher frequencies of Hb, vitamin B12, and folic acid deficiency and hyperhomocysteinemia than 914 female AG patients.

Conclusion

The male AG patients do have significantly higher mean blood Hb and serum homocysteine levels, significantly lower mean serum vitamin B12 and folic acid levels, and significantly higher frequencies of Hb, vitamin B12, and folic acid deficiencies and hyperhomocysteinemia than the female AG patients.

Vitamin B12 deficiency and anemia in 140 Taiwanese female lacto-vegetarians

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE

Lacto-vegetarians (LVs) tend to have vitamin B12 deficiency (B12D). This study assessed whether 140 female LVs, including 16 B12D/LVs and 124 non-B12D/LVs, had significantly higher frequencies of microcytosis, macrocytosis, and of blood hemoglobin (Hb), red blood cell (RBC), and serum vitamin B12 deficiencies than 140 healthy control subjects (HCSs).

METHODS

The complete blood count and serum vitamin B12 level in 140 female LVs and 140 female HCSs were measured and compared.

RESULTS

We found that 8.6%, 4.3%, 22.9%, 20.0%, and 11.4% of 140 LVs had microcytosis, macrocytosis, and blood Hb, RBC, and serum vitamin B12 deficiencies, respectively. The 140 LVs, 16 B12D/LVs, and 124 non-B12D/LVs had significantly higher frequencies of microcytosis as well as blood Hb and RBC deficiencies than 140 HCSs (all P-values < 0.005). Moreover, both 140 LVs and 124 non-B12D/LVs had significantly higher frequencies of macrocytosis than 140 HCSs. In this study, 32 (22.9%) of 140 LVs including 5 B12D/LVs and 27 non-B12D/LVs had anemia. Of the 5 anemic B12D/LVs, three had normocytic anemia, one had iron deficiency anemia (IDA), and one had thalassemia trait-induced anemia. Moreover, of the 27 anemic non-B12D/LVs, 18 had normocytic anemia, one had IDA, one had thalassemia trait-induced anemia, and 7 had microcytic anemia other than IDA and thalassemia trait-induced anemia.

CONCLUSION

LVs have significantly higher frequencies of microcytosis, macrocytosis, blood Hb, RBC, and serum vitamin B12 deficiencies than HCSs. Normocytic and microcytic anemias are the two most common types of anemia in our LVs.