J Korean Med Sci.  2013 Feb;28(2):200-204. 10.3346/jkms.2013.28.2.200.

A Multicenter Retrospective Analysis of the Clinical Features of Pernicious Anemia in a Korean Population

• Song IC
• Lee HJ
• Kim HJ
• Bae SB
• Lee KT
• Yang YJ
• Park SY
• Cho DY
• Kim NY
• Cho IS
• Jo DY

• KMID: 1429181
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2013.28.2.200

Abstract

To determine the approximate incidence and clinical features of pernicious anemia in a Korean population, we retrospectively analyzed clinical data for patients with pernicious anemia who were diagnosed between 1995 and 2010 at five hospitals in Chungnam province. Ninety-seven patients were enrolled, who accounted for 24% of patients with vitamin B12 deficiency anemia. The approximate annual incidence of pernicious anemia was 0.3 per 100,000. The median age was 66 (range, 32-98) yr, and the male/female ratio was 1.25. Anemia-associated discomfort was the most common symptom (79.4%), followed by gastrointestinal and neurological symptoms (78.4% and 38.1%, respectively). Pancytopenia was found in 36 patients (37.1%), and autoimmune disorders were found in 15 patients (15.5%). Antibody to intrinsic factor was detected in 62 (77.5%) of 80 patients examined, and antibody to parietal cells was detected in 35 (43.2%) of 81 patients examined. Of the 34 patients who underwent tests for Helicobacter pylori, 7 (12.5%) were positive. The anemia-associated and gastrointestinal symptoms resolved completely in all patients after intramuscular injection of cobalamin, whereas neurological symptoms remained in some. In conclusion, pernicious anemia is less frequent in Koreans than in Western populations; however, the clinical features of this disorder in Koreans do not differ from those of Western cases.

Keyword

Anemia, Pernicious; Vitamin B12; Anti-Intrinsic Factor Antibody; Anti-Parietal Cell Antibody; Helicobacter Pylori

MeSH Terms

Adult
Aged
Anemia, Pernicious/complications/*diagnosis/epidemiology
Asian Continental Ancestry Group
Autoimmune Diseases/complications/epidemiology
Female
Gastrointestinal Diseases/complications/drug therapy/epidemiology
Helicobacter Infections/diagnosis
Helicobacter pylori
Humans
Isoantibodies/blood
Male
Middle Aged
Nervous System Diseases/complications/epidemiology
Parietal Cells, Gastric/immunology
Republic of Korea/epidemiology
Retrospective Studies
Vitamin B 12/blood/therapeutic use
Isoantibodies
Vitamin B 12

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Annual distribution of the numbers of newly diagnosed patients with cobalamin deficiency anemia and pernicious anemia in Daejeon City and Chungnam Province.

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