These diseases include type 1 diabetes, hypoparathyroidism, Addison’s disease, hypopituitarism, Graves’ disease, chronic thyroiditis, myasthenia gravis, and vitiligo.
Pernicious anemia is a type of megaloblastic anemia caused by atrophic gastritis and the subsequent loss of parietal cells in the stomach responsible for secreting intrinsic factor.
It is the consequence of vitamin B12 deficiency, due to a defect in absorption, since the intrinsic factor is essential for the absorption of vitamin B12, and is one of its main triggers. Also due to digestive problems or drugs that alter gastric absorption, such as Helicobacter pylori infections, chronic gastritis, Crohn’s disease, strict vegetarians who do not consume enough foods enriched with vitamin B12 or a vitamin B12 supplement.
The symptoms of pernicious anemia are the following: shortness of breath, fatigue, high heart rate, paleness, diarrhoea, numbness in the hands and feet with a tingling sensation, lack of appetite, mouth ulcers, difficulty walking, balance and in more serious cases changes in behavior.
Treatment to correct vitamin B12 deficiency consists of giving monthly injections. This treatment corrects both anemia and possible neurological complications if the patient is treated on time.
In some elderly patients, in addition to injections, oral supplements of vitamin B12 are taken since only one percent of it is absorbed.
There is also a vitamin B12 preparation that is administered through the nose. And a balanced diet is needed, in order to provide the body with other elements: folic acid, iron and vitamin C, which are essential in the development of truly healthy blood cells.
