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Description

Pernicious anemia is a type of anemia caused by a lack of vitamin B12. It occurs when the body is unable to absorb enough vitamin B12 from the diet. This can lead to a decrease in red blood cells, which can cause symptoms such as fatigue, shortness of breath, pale skin, and a weakened immune system. Pernicious anemia is most commonly caused by an autoimmune disorder, in which the body's immune system mistakenly attacks the cells that produce stomach acid, which is necessary for the absorption of vitamin B12. Treatment typically involves taking vitamin B12 supplements and eating foods that are rich in vitamin B12.

Synonyms

• Addison-Biermer anemia
• Biermer's anemia
• macrocytic achylic anemia
• pernicious anemia

Symptoms (patient's findings)

• abdominal pain
• anorexia
• asthenia
• constipation
• dizziness
• fatigue
• flatulence
• heartburn
• lack of coordination
• nausea
• shortness of breath
• skin paresthesia
• tongue pain
• unsteadiness on feet
• urinary retention
• vomiting

Signs (examiner's findings)

• abdominal rigidity
• atrophic glossitis
• dementia
• hallucination
• hepatomegaly
• jaundice
• low-grade fever
• mid systolic heart murmur
• pallor
• proprioception impairment
• splenomegaly

Basic Lab Tests (measurements)

• body
  •      plasma iron turnover
  •      bleeding time
• plasma
  •      fibrinogen
  •      calcitonin
  •      homocysteine
  •      taurine
• serum
  •      free cholesterol
  •      intrinsic factor antibody
  •      malate dehydrogenase
  •      antibody titer
  •      lactate dehydrogenase
  •      lactate dehydrogenase isoenzyme-5
  •      phosphate
  •      bilirubin
  •      zinc
  •      cholinesterase II
  •      indirect bilirubin
  •      isocitrate dehydrogenase
  •      total alkaline phosphatase
  •      phospholipids
  •      potassium
  •      protein
  •      lactate dehydrogenase isoenzyme-2
  •      secretin stimulation test
  •      thyroid antibody
  •      iron binding capacity
  •      uric acid
  •      calcium stimulation test
  •      methylmalonate
  •      pepsinogen I
  •      lactate dehydrogenase 1 : lactate dehydrognease 2 ratio
  •      thyroglobulin antibody
  •      triglyceride
  •      aldolase
  •      vitamin B12
  •      iron
  •      parietal cell antibody
  •      lactate dehydrogenase isoenzyme-1
  •      cholesterol
  •      albumin
  •      vitamin B12 binding capacity
• urine
  •      homocysteine
  •      urobilinogen
  •      formiminoglutamate
  •      orange urine
  •      Schilling test
  •      urine color
• vital signs
  •      pulse
  •      systolic blood pressure
  •      blood pressure
• whole blood
  •      leukocytes
  •      neutrophils
  •      glycosylated hemoglobin
  •      giant platelets
  •      basophilic stippling
  •      elliptocytes
  •      hemoglobin
  •      macrocytes
  •      nucleated erythrocytes
  •      mean corpuscular volume
  •      anisocytosis
  •      erythrocytes
  •      hematocrit
  •      hypersegmented neutrophils
  •      macro-ovalocytes
  •      Cabot rings
  •      Howell-Jolly bodies
  •      poikilocytosis
  •      ring-shaped-nucleus neutrophils
  •      mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration
  •      granulocytes
  •      lymphocytes
  •      megaloblasts
  •      hemoglobin F
  •      platelets
  •      reticulocytes
  •      mean corpuscular hemoglobin
  •      RBC distribution width
  •      clot retraction
  •      eosinophils

Detailed Disease and Condition Information (use the search buttons below to find details on these topics)
All of the following must be considered when interpreting clinical findings and are too extensive to be covered on this site: