We found a match
Your institution may have rights to this item. Sign in to continue.
- Title
Vitamin B12 (cobalamin) deficiency in elderly patients.
- Authors
Andrès E; Loukili NH; Noel E; Kaltenbach G; Abdelgheni MB; Perrin AE; Noblet-Dick M; Maloisel F; Schlienger J; Blicklé J; Andrès, Emmanuel; Loukili, Noureddine Henoun; Noel, Esther; Kaltenbach, Georges; Abdelgheni, Maher Ben; Perrin, Anne Elisabeth; Noblet-Dick, Marie; Maloisel, Frédéric; Schlienger, Jean-Louis; Blicklé, Jean-Frédéric
- Abstract
Vitamin B12 or cobalamin deficiency occurs frequently (> 20%) among elderly people, but it is often unrecognized because the clinical manifestations are subtle; they are also potentially serious, particularly from a neuropsychiatric and hematological perspective. Causes of the deficiency include, most frequently, food-cobalamin malabsorption syndrome (> 60% of all cases), pernicious anemia (15%-20% of all cases), insufficient dietary intake and malabsorption. Food-cobalamin malabsorption, which has only recently been identified as a significant cause of cobalamin deficiency among elderly people, is characterized by the inability to release cobalamin from food or a deficiency of intestinal cobalamin transport proteins or both. We review the epidemiology and causes of cobalamin deficiency in elderly people, with an emphasis on food-cobalamin malabsorption syndrome. We also review diagnostic and management strategies for cobalamin deficiency.
- Publication
Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ), 2004, Vol 171, Issue 3, p251
- Publication type
journal article
- DOI
10.1503/cmaj.1031155