What is Pernicious Anaemia?
Pernicious Anaemia is a form of megaloblastic anaemia, which occurs due to the deficiency of Vitamin B-12, which is caused by the mal-absorption of vitamin B12. This happens when there is a loss of gastric parietal cells or the intrinsic factor in the atrophic gastritis is missing.
Pernicious anaemia is also known as the Biermer's anaemia or Addison's anaemia or Addison-Biermer anaemia. Though it has a harmful effect on the person suffering from it, once the disorder is diagnosed, treatments can be taken and the symptoms curbed effectively.
Causes of Pernicious Anaemia
As told above, pernicious anaemia is caused by the deficiency of the Vitamin B12. Vitamin B12 is essential in the body in order to make the body cells multiply. When becoming deficient, the red blood cells of the body slow down in their production process.
Thus this leads to the shortage of the RBCs and them becoming abnormally large in size (megaloblastic), while their life term also shortens down. Eventually, anaemia is developed in the body.
At times, when proper sources of Vitamin B12 are not consumed by the person, the deficiency happens. Most vital sources of Vitamin B12 are the animal sources and food products like animal meat, fish, eggs, butter, milk, cheese etc. usually, a strict vegetarian diet results in the deficiency of this vitamin and the consequent anaemia. However, body’s inability to absorb Vitamin B12 due to the lack of the intrinsic factor is also one of the common causes seen amongst the people.
This is a stomach based product and when the factor producing cells get damaged inside the stomach, the condition happens. Damage to the stomach cells may be caused by an autoimmune disorder like autoimmune atrophic gastritis (where antibodies against the parietal cells and the intrinsic factor are made), a stomach surgery, ulcers or a cancer of the stomach.
Symptoms of Pernicious Anaemia
Various symptoms of anaemia can be seen like tiredness, light-headedness, shortness of breath and heart palpitations. Few other symptoms arising out of the deficiency of vitamin B12 in the body may be like soreness of the tongue and mouth, weight loss, bouts of diarrhoea, tingling and numbness in the fingers and toes, weakness and balance problems, memory loss and confusion.
Anaemia basically causes a myriad symptoms, some of which are apparent outside, while other are bodily changes, occurring in various aspects of body systems and are not too apparent. Some of these are -- pallor, fatigue, shortness of breath, rapid heartbeat; Tongue symptoms: red, burning or sore; Digestive disturbances: upset stomach, weight loss, loss of appetite, diarrhoea, constipation, abdominal pain, jaundice due to impaired formation of blood cells, fever, malaise, paresthesias, finger paresthesias, pins and needles, tingling or burning fingers, numb fingers, Due to low muscle tone: muscle spasms, unsteadiness, movement disorders, weakness, spasticity, personality changes, chest pain etc..
Who's affected by Pernicious Anaemia?
Pernicious anaemia is most commonly seen amongst the older people, with the occurrence rate of almost one in every 8000 people over the age of 60. Women are more prone to suffering from his form of anaemia than men. Familial inheritances may also increase the risk of acquiring pernicious anaemia amongst people.
Diagnosis of Pernicious Anaemia
A simple blood test performed to check the number and size of the red blood cells in the blood can help determine the presence of pernicious anaemia in a person. Further a test called Schilling Test can be performed to check the ability of the body to absorb Vitamin B12. Also checking for the presence of presence of antibodies in the blood will help determine if he cause of pernicious anaemia is the bad absorption of vitamin B12, or the formation of antibodies in the blood against Vitamin B12 absorbing intrinsic factor.
Treatment of Pernicious Anaemia
The treatment for pernicious anaemia is extremely simple and effective. All it involves is injecting vitamin B12 in the person’s bloodstream. Oral supplements of Vitamin B12 will not be effective as the absorption in the bowel is not happening. The injection of the Vitamin B12 in the bloodstream can be taken every month and this can go on for whole of your lifetime.
