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Pernicious Anemia in the Demented Patient Without Anemia or Macrocytosis
Author(s) -
Gross Joel S.,
Weintraub Nancy T.,
Neufeld Richard R.,
Libow Leslie S.
Publication year - 1986
Publication title -
journal of the american geriatrics society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.992
H-Index - 232
eISSN - 1532-5415
pISSN - 0002-8614
DOI - 10.1111/j.1532-5415.1986.tb05768.x
Subject(s) - macrocytosis , medicine , pernicious anemia , anemia , dementia , pediatrics , disease
It is well known that the neurologic manifestations of vitamin B 12 deficiency can occur in the absence of anemia. The authors recently observed two elderly patients who presented to a chronic care institution with the diagnosis of dementia, and in both individuals low serum B 12 levels were found in conjunction with abnormal Schilling tests. In neither of these two patients was there anemia or macrocytosis. After receiving parenteral B 12 injections there was improvement noted in cognitive functions as well as in activities of daily living. The authors are reporting these patients to alert clinicians to the fact that pernicious anemia in the elderly can first present with low serum B 12 levels and neurologic abnormalities in the absence of anemia or macrocytosis.