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Megaloblastic anaemia due to vitamin B 12 deficiency caused by small intestinal bacterial overgrowth: possible role of vitamin B 12 analogues
Author(s) -
Murphy M. F.,
Sourial N. A.,
Burman J. F.,
Doyle D. V.,
Tabaqchali S.,
Mollin D. L.
Publication year - 1986
Publication title -
british journal of haematology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.907
H-Index - 186
eISSN - 1365-2141
pISSN - 0007-1048
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2141.1986.tb02894.x
Subject(s) - malabsorption , vitamin b , vitamin b12 , medicine , small intestine , megaloblastic anaemia , megaloblastic anemia , vitamin , endocrinology , cyanocobalamin , intrinsic factor , biology
S ummary . Megaloblastic anaemia due to bacterial overgrowth of the small intestine is due to vitamin B 12 malabsorption. This report describes a patient with bacterial overgrowth of the small intestine who had megaloblastic anaemia and malabsorption of vitamin B 12 , but persistently normal levels of serum vitamin B 12 and normal serum and red cell folate levels. However, there was evidence of vitamin B 12 deficiency as shown by an abnormal deoxyuridine suppression test and by the response to treatment with physiological doses of vitamin B 12 . A relative increase in biologically inactive vitamin B 12 analogues may be the explanation for the normal vitamin B 12 level in this patient.