Pernicious anemia is also known by a number of other names, to state a few they are; Macrocytic achylic anemia, Juvenile pernicious anemia, Congenital pernicious anemia, Vitamin B-12 deficiency.
When this condition occurs, the vitamin B-12 is not being absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract / digestive tract. This results in low production rate of the red blood cells. An anemic condition is one where the red blood cells are not giving enough oxygen to the blood tissues. There are many types of anemia, and pernicious anemia is a kind of Megaloblastic anemia.
To supplement vitamin B-12 it is necessary to consume food products like meat, milk, shellfish, eggs and fortified cereals. It is quite clear from the above statement that people who are likely to suffer from this problem are people who strictly follow a vegetarian diet. Other reasons of this problem could also be atrophic gastric mucosa, autoimmunity against intrinsic factor and autoimmunity against gastric parietal cells.
What is Pernicious Anemia?
Intrinsic factor is a kind of protein that is required by the body to help absorb the vitamin B-12. So, low levels of intrinsic factor can also cause Pernicious anemia. In some people there is no intrinsic factor present, this itself is a cause of the disease. In some other cases, the stomach may have been surgically removed or the person may be suffering from chronic gastritis, which is another contributing factor for the development of Pernicious anemia.
Children being born with this disorder are quite rare unless or otherwise this child is born from a defective parent where the chromosomes are being shared from both of the parents. It is inherited as an autosomal recessive disorder.
Pernicious anemia can cause cardio vascular disorders and gastro intestinal disorders.
Pernicious Anemia Symptoms
The most common symptoms of Pernicious anemia are:
The patient may suffer from a shortness of breath, weakness, fatigue, pallor, lightheadedness, diarrhea, a numbness and tingling sensation of the hands and the feet, loss of weight, experience poor appetite, unsteady gait in the dark, tongue problems like a sore tongue, bleeding of the gums, mental confusion, pale skin or yellow skin, personality changes (this is called as megaloblastic madness).
What causes Pernicious Anemia
If both of your parents are suffering from the disorder then there is a chance that you are likely to suffer from the problem. The defective chromosomes from both the defective parents combine to develop in you, and this condition is known as autosomal recessive disorder.
Another way that you can suffer from this problem is that you could have a stomach problem and you got it operated upon, leading to this disorder. It can also be attributed to abnormal bacterial growth in the small intestine, celiac diseases, and Crohn’s disease.
May studies show that Pernicious anemia can also be linked with type I diabetics and thyroid diseases.
Pernicious Anemia Treatment Options
The disorder is caused by the deficiency of vitamin B-12 in your body, and the treatment is that, you will be required to take a monthly dosage of vitamin B-12 injections or something more frequently if it is a severe case. Parallel, you will be required to take up corrective treatment for your vitamin B-12 deficiency. This treatment generally corrects your anemic condition and if started in the early stages can also correct any neurological disorders.
Problem of deficiency caused due to poor diet will require a change in diet options.