Year: 2025 | Month: October-December | Volume: 10 | Issue: 4 | Pages: 153-157
DOI: https://doi.org/10.52403/ijshr.20250422
Epidemiology and Clinical Profile of Patients with Low Serum Vitamin B12 In a Tertiary Care Hospital
Nijora Deka1, Satish Talikoti2
1Professor and Head, Department of General Medicine, S.R Patil Medical College, Hospital and Research Centre Badagandi, Bagalkot, India
2Associate Professor, Department of General Medicine, S.R Patil Medical College, Hospital and Research Centre Badagandi, Bagalkot, India
Corresponding Author: Dr. Nijora Deka
ABSTRACT
Background: Vitamin B12 deficiency is a common clinical condition that presents with different clinical profiles most common being macrocytic anemia. In this study we aimed to analyse the relationship between serum Vitamin B12 level with demography and clinical presentations.
Methods: Analysis of patients with low Serum B 12 levels admitted at the tertiary referral centre S.R Patil Medical College, Hospital and Research Centre Badagandi, Bagalkot, India from October 2023 to October 2025.
Results: Out of 86 patients presenting with low Serum vitamin B12 levels, 44 (37.84%) patients were between 31-60 years & 32 (27.52 %) patients were > 60 years. Middle aged and elderly population are more likely to have low serum B12 levels as a cause for macrocytic anemia. Low serum Vitamin B12 was more common in vegetarians. Men were more in number than women. 68 (58.48 %) presented with fatigue/malaise (symptoms of anemia) and 6 (5.16 %) patients presented with neurological manifestations. Incidental discovery during routine health check-up was seen in 12 patients (10.32 %)
Conclusions: Serum B12 levels can be an important early low-cost investigation to be able to diagnose causation of anemia in the early stages, treat them adequately and prevent neurological complications.
Keywords: Vitamin B12, clinical profile, macrocytic anemia