Neurologic findings of vitamin B12 deficiency: presentation of 7 cases

In this report, seven children, four males and three females, between the ages of five and 16 years with megaloblastic anemia and neuropsychiatric disorders are presented. Macrocytosis was identified in peripheral blood smears in all seven patients. Serum B12 levels were markedly reduced in f...

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Main Authors: O Kalayci, M Cetin, B Kirel, E Ozdirim, S Yetgin, S Aysun, A Gurgey
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Hacettepe University Institute of Child Health 1996-01-01
Series:The Turkish Journal of Pediatrics
Online Access:https://turkjpediatr.org/article/view/3453
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author O Kalayci
M Cetin
B Kirel
E Ozdirim
S Yetgin
S Aysun
A Gurgey
author_facet O Kalayci
M Cetin
B Kirel
E Ozdirim
S Yetgin
S Aysun
A Gurgey
author_sort O Kalayci
collection DOAJ
description In this report, seven children, four males and three females, between the ages of five and 16 years with megaloblastic anemia and neuropsychiatric disorders are presented. Macrocytosis was identified in peripheral blood smears in all seven patients. Serum B12 levels were markedly reduced in four and were at the lower limit of normal in three patients. The Schilling test showed that B12 deficiency was due to specific cobalamin malabsorption in five and to inadequate dietary intake in two patients. Both neurological and hematological findings returned to normal after B12 replacement. This study shows that B12 deficiency should be considered in the differential diagnosis of neuropsychiatric disorders in children, including those with nonvegetarian habits, and that such patients should undergo a thorough hematological evaluation.
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id doaj-art-afd1b51c541b43e88d288bfa6063367d
institution DOAJ
issn 0041-4301
2791-6421
language English
publishDate 1996-01-01
publisher Hacettepe University Institute of Child Health
record_format Article
series The Turkish Journal of Pediatrics
spelling doaj-art-afd1b51c541b43e88d288bfa6063367d2025-08-20T02:58:14ZengHacettepe University Institute of Child HealthThe Turkish Journal of Pediatrics0041-43012791-64211996-01-01381Neurologic findings of vitamin B12 deficiency: presentation of 7 casesO Kalayci0M CetinB KirelE OzdirimS YetginS AysunA GurgeyDepartment of Pediatrics, Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey. In this report, seven children, four males and three females, between the ages of five and 16 years with megaloblastic anemia and neuropsychiatric disorders are presented. Macrocytosis was identified in peripheral blood smears in all seven patients. Serum B12 levels were markedly reduced in four and were at the lower limit of normal in three patients. The Schilling test showed that B12 deficiency was due to specific cobalamin malabsorption in five and to inadequate dietary intake in two patients. Both neurological and hematological findings returned to normal after B12 replacement. This study shows that B12 deficiency should be considered in the differential diagnosis of neuropsychiatric disorders in children, including those with nonvegetarian habits, and that such patients should undergo a thorough hematological evaluation. https://turkjpediatr.org/article/view/3453
spellingShingle O Kalayci
M Cetin
B Kirel
E Ozdirim
S Yetgin
S Aysun
A Gurgey
Neurologic findings of vitamin B12 deficiency: presentation of 7 cases
The Turkish Journal of Pediatrics
title Neurologic findings of vitamin B12 deficiency: presentation of 7 cases
title_full Neurologic findings of vitamin B12 deficiency: presentation of 7 cases
title_fullStr Neurologic findings of vitamin B12 deficiency: presentation of 7 cases
title_full_unstemmed Neurologic findings of vitamin B12 deficiency: presentation of 7 cases
title_short Neurologic findings of vitamin B12 deficiency: presentation of 7 cases
title_sort neurologic findings of vitamin b12 deficiency presentation of 7 cases
url https://turkjpediatr.org/article/view/3453
work_keys_str_mv AT okalayci neurologicfindingsofvitaminb12deficiencypresentationof7cases
AT mcetin neurologicfindingsofvitaminb12deficiencypresentationof7cases
AT bkirel neurologicfindingsofvitaminb12deficiencypresentationof7cases
AT eozdirim neurologicfindingsofvitaminb12deficiencypresentationof7cases
AT syetgin neurologicfindingsofvitaminb12deficiencypresentationof7cases
AT saysun neurologicfindingsofvitaminb12deficiencypresentationof7cases
AT agurgey neurologicfindingsofvitaminb12deficiencypresentationof7cases