Treatment FAQ

what non pharmacological therapies are associated with the treatment of pernicious anemia?

by Ethyl Cummings Published 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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Medication

35. Andres E, Henoun Loukili N, Noel E, et al. Oral cobalamin (daily dose of 1000 μg) therapy for the treatment of patients with pernicious anemia. An open label study of 10 patients.

Nutrition

Doctors treat pernicious anemia by replacing the missing vitamin B12 in the body. People who have pernicious anemia may need lifelong treatment. The goals of treating pernicious anemia include: Preventing or treating the anemia and its signs and symptoms. Preventing or managing complications, such as heart and nerve damage.

Which medications are used in the treatment of pernicious anemia?

Table 2 SORT recommendations for clinical practice. Clinical recommendation Strength of recommendation Oral vitamin B12 can be used for adequate replacement in patients with pernicious anemia B An oral vitamin B12 dose at 1000 μg is adequate replacement in patients with pernicious anemia B

What are the goals of treating pernicious anemia?

Pernicious anemia is an autoimmune gastritis resulting from the destruction of gastric parietal cells and consequent impairment of intrinsic factors secretion to bind the ingested vitamin B12. Other autoimmune disorders, especially thyroid disease, diabetes mellitus, and vitiligo, are also commonly associated with pernicious anemia.

What are the sort recommendations for clinical practice in pernicious anemia B?

What is the pathophysiology of pernicious anemia?

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What would be the best treatment of a patient with pernicious anemia?

Pernicious anemia usually is easy to treat with vitamin B12 shots or pills. If you have severe pernicious anemia, your doctor may recommend shots first. Shots usually are given in a muscle every day or every week until the level of vitamin B12 in your blood increases.

Which vitamin therapy helps manage pernicious and megaloblastic anemia?

Oral vitamin B12 was effective in all the patients (10 patients had pernicious anemia) in Nyholm's study with the median serum vitamin B12 level of 1193 pg/mL after 3 months of treatment. It was also reported that using oral treatment did not result in any new neurological complications.

What does a nurse give a patient with pernicious anemia?

Patients generally receive an intramuscular injection of 1000 mcg B12 every day or every other day during the first week of treatment. The next month, they receive injections every week, subsequently followed by monthly injections. The alternative to intramuscular injection B12 is high-dose oral B12.

What is pernicious anemia and how is it treated?

When your body can't make enough healthy red blood cells because it lacks vitamin B-12, you have pernicious anemia (PA). A long time ago, this disorder was believed to be fatal (“pernicious” means deadly). These days it's easily treated with B-12 pills or shots. With treatment, you'll be able to live without symptoms.

Which of the following is the most common treatment for a resident diagnosed with pernicious anemia?

Treatment options Doctors treat pernicious anemia with vitamin B-12 replacement therapy, which they give via vitamin B-12 shots. A doctor will inject a vitamin B-12 shot into a person's muscles. Injections are given on a daily or weekly basis until vitamin B-12 levels return to normal.

What is the treatment for megaloblastic anemia?

Megaloblastic anemia caused by a lack of folate may be treated with oral or intravenous folic acid supplements. Dietary changes also help boost folate levels. More foods to incorporate into your diet include: leafy green vegetables.

What are nursing interventions for anemia?

Nursing Interventions and RationalesAssist the client in developing a schedule for daily activity and rest. ... Educate energy-conservation techniques. ... Instruct the client about medications that may stimulate RBC production in the bone marrow. ... Provide supplemental oxygen therapy as needed.More items...•

What is the best diet for pernicious anemia?

Good food sources of vitamin B12 include:Breakfast cereals with added vitamin B12.Meats such as beef, liver, poultry, and fish.Eggs and dairy products (such as milk, yogurt, and cheese)Foods fortified with vitamin B12, such as soy-based beverages and vegetarian burgers.

What nursing interventions are used in the management and treatment of iron deficiency anemia?

The nursing interventions for a child with iron deficiency anemia are: Administer prescribed medications, as ordered: Administer IM or IV iron when oral iron is poorly absorbed. Perform sensitivity testing of IM iron injection to avoid risk of anaphylaxis.

When did pernicious anemia become treatable?

From the mid-1920's the disease was treatable which, in most cases, meant that it was no longer a fatal condition and over the ensuing decades' treatment improved.

What is the most common cause of pernicious anemia?

While vitamin B12 deficiency anemia may be caused by a lack of vitamin B12 in the diet, pernicious anemia is caused by an inability to absorb vitamin B12. There are two causes of pernicious anemia: autoimmune and genetic.

Can you drink alcohol if you have pernicious anemia?

Eat a varied diet. Include foods with a lot of vitamin B12, such as eggs, milk, and meat. Do not drink alcohol while you are being treated. Alcohol can prevent the body from absorbing vitamin B12.

What is the name of the vitamin B drug that is used to treat megaloblastic anemia?

Cyanocobalamin (vitamin B12) is used to correct vitamin B12 deficiency and folic acid is used to treat folic acid deficiencies. Cyanocobalamin does not naturally occur.

Does folic acid treat pernicious anemia?

Oral folic acid can usually correct or prevent the anaemia of pernicious anaemia. Thus it could mask the underlying disease, and allow the development or progression of neurological deterioration, if diagnosis depended on the presence of anaemic symptoms.

Why is oral administration of vitamin B12 not effective as a treatment for pernicious anemia?

This belief is still being propagated, as this quote from an article published recently attests: “Pernicious anemia is caused by inadequate secretion of gastric intrinsic factor necessary for vitamin B12 absorption and thus cannot be treated with oral vitamin B12 supplements; rather, vitamin B12 must be administered ...

Why is folic acid useful in the treatment of megaloblastic anemia?

The most common causes of megaloblastic anemia are deficiency of either cobalamin (vitamin B12) or folate (vitamin B9). These two vitamins serve as building blocks and are essential for the production of healthy cells such as the precursors to red blood cells.

What was the first treatment for pernicious anemia?

Until the 1920’s people who were diagnosed with Pernicious Anaemia died, often after many years of suffering. The first treatments used liver therapy. Patients were fed raw, or very lightly cooked liver several times a day. The liver could be fried, grilled or made into liver drinks. Later, liver injections became available and ...

Can you take B12 supplements before a B12 test?

Be Aware – taking supplements that contain B12 will affect any tests ordered by your doctor to assess your B12 status. You should not take any supplement before having your B12 assessed and/or having the test to find out if you have the Intrinsic Factor Antibody.

Is cobalamin a good substitute for intramuscular injections?

High dose oral cobalamin would be a reasonable alternative as maintenance in patients unable to tolerate intramuscular injections provided there is good compliance with treatment. On the other hand, some patients may prefer intramuscular injection therapy in order to assure effective treatment.

What is the best treatment for pernicious anemia?

Pernicious Anemia Treatment. Let’s get straight to the heart of the matter. The only effective Pernicious Anemia treatment is vitamin B12 shots. Don’t let any doctor tell you otherwise.

Why do people with pernicious anemia end up with lifelong damage?

Why? Because they are unable to get it! In the USA or UK, the health care systems consistently deny access of B12 shots to PA patients.

How much B12 is given to the veins?

In life threatening cases, 5,000,000mcg of B12 is given directly to the veins within a 15 minute window. Blood levels quickly rise to 560,000,000pmol/L, and if necessary, treatment is repeated within hours for a total of 10,000,000mcg of B12. That is about 10,000 Pernicious Anemia injections all at once, and you still can’t overdose!

Why do we like methylcobalamin?

We like methylcobalamin because it reduces homocysteine levels and generates a crucial methyl donor called S-adenosyl methionine ( SAMe). Methyl B12 is the most promising treatment for patients with severe neurological symptoms, bypassing several steps in the absorption cycle and helping to relieve or completely reverse symptoms.

What is neuroblastoma a study?

NEUROBLASTOMA: AN EVALUATION OF ITS NATURAL HISTORY AND EFFECTS OF THERAPY, WITH PARTICULAR REFERENCE TO TREATMENT BY MASSIVE DOSES OF VITAMIN B12.

What happens when you have PA?

When you have PA, special antibodies are preventing your body from making IF ( Intrinsic Factor ). IF is needed for the absorption of B12 from the gut into the bloodstream. The only way to bypass this gastric defect is to get B12 straight to the blood.

When did B12 shots become the norm?

It was lethal, until doctors found a way to get B12 into the bloodstream. At first they used liver extract shots, but in 1948 B12 was isolated, and it was just a matter of time before B12 shots became the norm.

What are the goals of treating pernicious anemia?

The goals of treating pernicious anemia include: Preventing or treating the anemia and its signs and symptoms. Preventing or managing complications, such as heart and nerve damage. Treating the cause of the pernicious anemia (if a cause can be found)

What to do if you have pernicious anemia?

If your pernicious anemia is caused by something other than a lack of intrinsic factor, you may get treatment for the cause (if a cause can be found). For example, your doctor may prescribe medicines to treat a condition that prevents your body from absorbing vitamin B12.

Can you take B12 for anemia?

For less severe pernicious anemia, your doctor may recommend large doses of vitamin B12 pills. A vitamin B12 nose gel and spray also are available. These products may be useful for people who have trouble swallowing pills, such as older people who have had strokes. Your signs and symptoms may begin to improve within a few days after you start ...

What is pernicious anemia?

Pernicious anemia (also known as Biermer’s disease) is an autoimmune atrophic gastritis, predominantly of the fundus, and is responsible for a deficiency in vitamin B12 (cobalamin) due to its malabsorption. Its prevalence is 0.1% in the general population and 1.9% in subjects over the age of 60 years. Pernicious anemia represents 20%–50% of the causes of vitamin B12 deficiency in adults. Given its polymorphism and broad spectrum of clinical manifestations, pernicious anemia is a great pretender. Its diagnosis must therefore be evoked and considered in the presence of neurological and hematological manifestations of undetermined origin. Biologically, it is characterized by the presence of anti-intrinsic factor antibodies. Treatment is based on the administration of parenteral vitamin B12, although other routes of administration (eg, oral) are currently under study. In the present update, these various aspects are discussed with special emphasis on data of interest to the clinician.

Why is incipient PA associated with microcytosis?

It should also be noted at this juncture that incipient PA may be associated in young women with a tendency for microcytosis due to iron deficiency linked to achlorhydria-induced iron malabsorption, menstrual bleeding, and a failure to exhaust the 10-year reserves of vitamin B12.17

Why does anti-GPC antibody decrease?

In the later stages of the disease, the incidence of anti-GPC antibodies decreases due to the progression of autoimmune gastritis and a loss of GPC mass , as a result of the decrease in antigenic rate. In recent studies, an average incidence of 55% of anti-GPC antibodies was documented in patients with advanced PA.7

What is the prevalence of PA?

PA is an autoimmune atrophic gastritis that causes a deficiency in vitamin B12 due to its malabsorption.3It accounts for 20%–50% of the documented causes of vitamin B12 (cobalamin) deficiency in adults according to a recent series.4In the general population, the prevalence of PA is 0.1% ; in subjects over the age of 60, it reaches 1.9%.5,6It often poses diagnostic and therapeutic challenges to the clinician.

What is PA associated with?

PA-associated type A atrophic gastritis is restricted to the fundus and gastric body. Early lesions are characterized by chronic inflammation in the submucosa that extends into the lamina propria of the mucosa between gastric glands, with a loss of both gastric and zymogene cells.3,7–9In advanced stages of the disease, gastric atrophy is recognizable macroscopically. The architecture of the gastric body and fundus is comparable to newsprint paper because of the dramatic reduction or absence of gastric glands. In particular, the parietal cells and zymogenic cells are absent from the gastric mucosa and are replaced by intestinal metaplasia.7–9

What is the target antigen for type A atrophic gastritis?

A major breakthrough in understanding the pathogenesis of type A atrophic gastritis has been the identification of the gastric enzyme H+/K+-ATPase as the target antigen recognized by anti-GPC antibodies.10,11This proton pump is responsible for acid secretion in the stomach and is the major protein of the secretory canaliculi of GPCs. The H+/K+-ATPase molecule is a heterodimer consisting of a 92 kDa α subunit and a highly glycosylated β subunit with an apparent molecular weight of 60–90 kDa.

What is CBC in medical terms?

CBC: genuine aregenerative, normochromic, and macrocytic anemia; generally associated with moderate leukopenia and thrombopenia.

Overview

Pernicious (per-nish-uhs) anemia, one of the causes of vitamin B12 deficiency, is an autoimmune condition that prevents your body from absorbing vitamin B12. Without adequate vitamin B12, you have fewer red blood cells carrying oxygen throughout your body. You can have pernicious anemia for several years before noticing changes in your body.

Symptoms and Causes

Generally speaking, the longer you go without adequate vitamin B12, the more serious your symptoms are. Early on, people may have mild symptoms they may think are caused by other common conditions. Examples include:

Diagnosis and Tests

First, your healthcare provider will complete a thorough physical examination and ask questions about your medical history so they know if you’ve any other conditions that may increase your risk of vitamin B12 deficiency. They may ask you if you’re having trouble concentrating. They may look for signs of nervous system problems.

Management and Treatment

Since vitamin B12 absorption is blocked, your healthcare provider may prescribe intramuscular vitamin B12 injections. Later, after B12 stores are back to normal, they may prescribe high doses of oral B12 replacement. They’ll monitor your treatment.

Prevention

You can’t prevent pernicious anemia from occurring. But you can reduce your risk by being aware of medical conditions, treatments and activities that may affect your body’s ability to absorb vitamin B12.

Living With

If you have pernicious anemia, you’ll need to take vitamin B12 supplements regularly for the rest of your life. Other causes of B12 deficiency may be helped by increasing the vitamin B12 in your diet. Some foods to consider adding to your diet include:

How to treat pernicious anemia?

The following goals are the most important in establishing care for patients with pernicious anemia: 1 To establish that the patient has cobalamin deficiency 2 If there is evidence for folic acid deficiency but pernicious anemia has not been ruled out, treat with both folic acid and cobalamin until pernicious anemia has been ruled out. The reason is that folic acid restores blood counts but does not prevent the development of subacute combined system degeneration in patients with pernicious anemia. 3 To determine the cause of the failure to absorb cobalamin (This goal is somewhat controversial. Not all hematologists work to establish the precise cause of low vitamin B12 levels. The nuclear medicine tests are expensive and cumbersome, and as a result, many hematologists simply proceed to treatment once a differential diagnosis of a low vitamin B12 state is established.) 4 To treat the patient with adequate doses of cobalamin 5 To confirm the diagnosis by documenting that specific therapy is effective 6 To ensure administration of adequate quantities of cobalamin for the lifespan of the patient

What is the most important goal in establishing care for patients with pernicious anemia?

The following goals are the most important in establishing care for patients with pernicious anemia: To establish that the patient has cobalamin deficiency. If there is evidence for folic acid deficiency but pernicious anemia has not been ruled out, treat with both folic acid and cobalamin until pernicious anemia has been ruled out.

What is the structure of cyanocobalamin?

Pernicious anemia. The structure of cyanocobalamin is depicted. The cyanide (Cn) is in green. Other forms of cobalamin (Cbl) include hydroxocobalamin (OHCbl), methylcobalamin (MeCbl), and deoxyadenosylcobalamin (AdoCbl). In these forms, the beta-group is substituted for Cn. The corrin ring with a central cobalt atom is shown in red and the benzimidazole unit in blue. The corrin ring has 4 pyrroles, which bind to the cobalt atom. The fifth substituent is a derivative of dimethylbenzimidazole. The sixth substituent can be Cn, CC3, hydroxycorticosteroid (OH), or deoxyadenosyl. The cobalt atom can be in a +1, +2, or +3 oxidation state. In hydroxocobalamin, it is in the +3 state. The cobalt atom is reduced in a nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH)–dependent reaction to yield the active coenzyme. It catalyzes 2 types of reactions, which involve either rearrangements (conversion of l methylmalonyl coenzyme A [CoA] to succinyl CoA) or methylation (synthesis of methionine).

What vitamin is needed for anemia in elderly?

Elderly people are at risk for developing pernicious anemia due to achlorhydria. Therefore, serum vitamin B-12 levels should be checked. If low or if cobalamin deficiency is suspected, they should be treated with vitamin B-12 supplementation. Previous.

Why should family members seek medical attention for pernicious anemia?

Because an increased familial incidence of pernicious anemia exists, family members should be aware that they are at greater risk of developing this disease and should seek medical attention promptly if they develop anemia or mental and neurologic symptoms . Monitor siblings and children of patients with a hereditary abnormality of cobalamin deficiency for evidence of the specific defect in cobalamin transport or metabolism.

How long does it take for a patient to respond to cobalamin?

A reticulocytosis occurs within 5 days after an injection of 1000 mcg of Cbl and lasts for about 2 weeks. The hemoglobin (Hgb) concentration increases at a slower rate because many of the reticulocytes are abnormal and do not survive as mature erythrocytes. After 1 or 2 weeks, the Hgb concentration increases about 1 g/dL per week.

What supplements should elderly people take for hypokalemia?

Elderly patients who also have hypokalemia should receive oral potassium supplements, to prevent severe hypokalemia and possible arrhythmias. Go to Anemia, Iron Deficiency Anemia, and Chronic Anemia for complete information on these topics. Next: Cobalamin Therapy. Cobalamin Therapy.

What is pernicious anemia?

Pernicious anemia is an autoimmune gastritis resulting from the destruction of gastric parietal cells and consequent impairment of intrinsic factors secretion to bind the ingested vitamin B12. Other autoimmune disorders, especially thyroid disease, diabetes mellitus, and vitiligo, are also commonly associated with pernicious anemia. The cost and availability of auto-antibodies testing, such as intrinsic factor and anti-parietal cell antibodies, can be a barrier to further investigation for vitamin B12 deficiency to exclude pernicious anemia. Therefore, the exact prevalence of pernicious anemia is difficult to ascertain. It has been estimated that the prevalence of pernicious anemia in European countries is approximately 4% of the population (2). It is also well acknowledged that the prevalence increase with age and therefore more common in the elderly.

What is the best vitamin for pernicious anemia?

Oral Vitamin B12 Replacement for the Treatment of Pernicious Anemia

What is the objective of the B12 review?

The objective of our review is to inform clinicians on the effectiveness of oral vitamin B12 as adequate replacement in patients with pernicious anemia, as well as make recommendations on the dosing and frequency of clinical and laboratory monitoring.

How is vitamin B12 absorbed?

For patients with pernicious anemia, lifelong vitamin B12 therapy is indicated. Vitamin B12 is absorbed in the terminal ileum. This absorption is almost entirely dependent on intrinsic factor binding to vitamin B12. This bound complex in turn binds to the cubam receptor in the terminal ileum and is internalized. The complex is eventually released from lysosomes and transported across the cell membrane bound to transcobalamin in the blood circulation. Traditionally, vitamin B12 replacement is administered intramuscularly. However, it is believed that oral vitamin B12 can be absorbed passively independent of intrinsic factors. Passive diffusion accounts for about 1% of total absorption, and this route of absorption is unaffected in patients with pernicious anemia (3).

Is vitamin B12 normalized?

Normalization of serum vitamin B12 levels was seen in all patients. An increase in vitamin B12 level was as much as fourfold compared with pretreatment in most patients. The mean change of 387.7 pg/mL was statistically significant (p = 0.0001, Student’s t-test)

Is B12 good for pernicious anemia?

The data given in the studies all supported the use of oral vitamin B12 as a valid and effective way of treating vitamin B12 deficiency, including pernicious anemia. The age range of the study population was 23–92 years old. The RCT by Kuzminski et al. (10) and prospective study by Delpre et al. (12) were done in America. The RCT by Bolaman et al. (11) was done in Turkey. The other two prospective studies by Nyholm et al. (13) and Andres et al. (14) were done in United Kingdom and France, respectively. The studies were conducted during the period of late 1990s to early 2000s.

Can B12 be absorbed passively?

However, it is believed that oral vitamin B12 can be absorbed passively independent of intrinsic factors. Passive diffusion accounts for about 1% of total absorption, and this route of absorption is unaffected in patients with pernicious anemia (3).

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Treatment

Risks

Overview

Benefits

Medically reviewed by
Dr. Rakshith Bharadwaj
Your provider will work with you to develop a care plan that may include one or more of these treatment options.
Pernicious anemia can be treated by restoring the vitamin B 12 supply.
Medication

Supplements: - Vitamin B12 intramuscular injections (shots) are given. - Vitamin B12 supplements and diet

Vitamin B12

Nutrition

Foods to eat:

  • Breakfast cereals with added vitamin B12
  • Meats such as beef, liver, poultry, and shellfish
  • Eggs and dairy products (such as milk, yogurt, and cheese)
  • Soy-based food and beverages

Foods to avoid:

  • NA

Specialist to consult

Primary care physician
Specializes in the acute and chronic illnesses and provides preventive care and health.
Hematologist
Specializes in the study of the blood and blood disorders.

International

  • What is the most effective Pernicious Anemia treatment? In two words: B12 injections. It is the only effective way for PA patients to absorb B12, since it bypasses the gastric system and goes straight to your bloodstream. More than a century ago, people with Pernicious Anemia would eventually die of the disease. Liver extract injections became available and used to be the treat…
See more on perniciousanemia.org

Purpose

  • Millions of people around the world are B12 deficient. In the UK alone, hundreds of thousands of citizens are routinely misdiagnosed and continue to deteriorate without proper treatment. Its all very tragic, and we think B12 injections should be administered almost by default. It is a water soluble vitamin any excess is flushed out in the urine so theres no possibility of toxicity, and you …
See more on perniciousanemia.org

Criticism

  • Pernicious Anemia is called pernicious (deadly!) for a reason. It used to be lethal, until doctors found a way to get B12 to the bloodstream. When you lack B12, Myelin start to strip away. Myelin is a protective layer coating your nerves, and all kinds of neurological symptoms begin to appear. Unfortunately damage to the myelin is often permanent, so action must be taken immediately an…
See more on perniciousanemia.org

Prognosis

  • Having injectable B12 ready over the counter will make Pernicious Anemia treatment a thousand fold easier, and will have a profound effect on the lives of patients, their families, and our society. Many doctors are treating B12-induced depression with antidepressants, while it can disappear entirely by regular administration of something as simple ...
See more on perniciousanemia.org

Symptoms

  • In Germany, France, and Spain you can buy B12 injections over the counter in any pharmacy. In Japan and Malaysia, you can even buy them in supermarkets!
See more on perniciousanemia.org

Toxicity

  • We created this site to educate people about the lethal, subtle nature of Pernicious Anemia, and to give patients a chance for optimal treatment by giving them access to as many B12 shots as they need. Your plea for help will no longer fall on deaf ears. Each person has a different level of damage, and some symptoms are reversible when caught and treated early. Dont wait a second …
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Side effects

  • As current things are, Pernicious Anemia patients are at the mercy of an outdated, restrictive and uneducated system, providing ridiculous treatment and leaving behind a trail of severe suffering.
See more on perniciousanemia.org

Society and culture

  • This under treatment renders those of us with this condition amongst other things seriously mentally impaired, experiencing debilitating pain, bed ridden, chronically fatigued, at high risk of stroke or heart attack, and unable to walk or to stay awake. (Its your time to live, not merely exist.) Some patients have successfully fought for the right to receive more frequent injections howeve…
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