Vitamin B12 Deficiency Without Hematological Findings

INTRODUCTION: Vitamin B12 deficiency is a clinical entity that is common in children and can confort with a wide variety of finding. This study was conducted to draw attention to the fact that Vitamin B12 deficiency may confront many symptoms and findings without anemia.
METHODS: Our study was retrospective and performed by 309 patients who applied policlinics for various reasons of Zeynep Kamil Women And Children Diseases Hospital between the dates of january 2015 and july 2015. At the study children whose Vitamin B12 levels measured for any reason were inspected.Besides Vitamin B12 levels,levels of folate, iron, iron binding capacity, ferritin, parameters of hemogram and reasons of application to policlinic were evaluated statistically.
RESULTS: Vitamin B12 deficiency was detected in %43.7 (135) of 309 cases whereas Vitamin B12 level %56,3 (174).In cases with B 12 deficiency, fatigue %20,5 (26), loss of appetite %17,3 (22), paleness %15 (19), growth retardation %8,7 (11) and other complaints (impaired walking, convulsions, diarrhea, percent swelling, early puberty, menstrual irregularity etc ) were found to be %35,4 (45). In case withVitamin B12 deficiency, hemoglobin value was low in only %35,1 (47), normal in %61,9 (83) and hematocrit was low in %38,8 (52), normal in %56 (75) and only %4,8 (4) of cases of high levelmean corpusculer volüm (MCV).
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Vitamin B12 deficiency can show itself with many symptoms and findings without causing macrositer anemia. This conclusion will be useful in the early recognition of Vitamin B12 deficiency and prevention of complications that may arise considering the patient approaches