Pernicious Anemia Research Paper

Anemia is a medical condition defined as having low amounts of red blood cells, thus transporting low levels of oxygen in the blood. Common symptoms include fatigue, weakness, and shortness of breath. Causes for anemia vary, depending on the severity and duration of illness. Regular anemia can result with low levels of iron in the blood. (Mayo Clinic, 2014)

The lack of intrinsic factor in the stomach leads to a vitamin B-12 deficiency. Vitamin B-12 is necessary for production of normal, healthy red blood cells. Without B-12, red blood cells become to large(macrocytic) and do not carry enough oxygen to supply the body. Without enough oxygen the body can not function normally and a person is said to be anemic (Pernicious Anemia, n.d.).

The most prominent cause of Iron Deficiency Anemia is bleeding. Blood loss from the Gastrointestinal Tract is a significant cause of anemia for both men and women. When blood is present in excrement, a gastrointestinal problem exists. Many times, people are unaware of these problems with their waste products. When they begin to feel the symptoms of anemia and undergo tests that determine that they are anemic, it begins the process of discovering more health problems. Anemia can serve as the precursor of certain diseases. There are many instances when it is merely a sign of severe disease such as a peptic ulcer disease, gastritis, hemorrhoids, angiodysplasis of the colon, and colonic adenocarcinoma (http://www.physsportsmed.com/issues/sep_96/browne.htm).

According to the study, the symptoms of anemia include malaise, lethargy, fatigue, swelling belly, pale skin, poor appetite, numerous infections, and crankiness.

This anemia results in fatigue and a number of the following problems;pain episodes, strokes, susceptibility to bacterial infections, particularly in children, leg ulcers, bone damage, yellow eyes or jaundice, early gallstones, lung blockage, increased infections, kidney damage and loss of body water in urine, painful erections in men, blood blockage in the spleen or liver, eye damage, low red blood cell counts (anemia), and delayed growth.

Pernicious anemia is the etiology of vitamin B12 deficiency due to the lack of production of an intrinsic factor (IF), altered pH in the small intestine, and lack of absorption of B12 complexes in the terminal ileum as well as folic acid deficiency. Impairment of IF production can occur in adults due to autoimmune destruction of parietal cells, which secrete IF; gastrectomy can significantly reduce the production of IF. A rare congenital autosomal recessive disorder can result in deficiency of IF without gastric atrophy. Other disorders that interfere with the absorption and metabolism of vitamin B12 can produce cobalamin deficiency, with the development of a macrocytic anemia and neurologic complications. Some autoimmune diseases such as Graves' disease, Hashimoto's thyroiditis and vitiligo the depigmentation or blanching of skin areas. (Center Disease Control &Prevention (CDC), 2015)

Anemia is a condition that effects “more than 3 million people in the United States” (Peterson, 2012). Anemia is a decrease in red blood cells (RBCs) or decreased hemoglobin in an individual’s blood. RBCs carry oxygen rich blood throughout an individual’s tissues and organs, allowing the body to function properly. Therefore, an anemic person has a decreased amount of oxygen rich blood flowing through their body. A decreased amount of oxygenated blood is not immediately life threatening but can become very serious. Some potential side effects of anemia are; fatigue, lack of energy, pallor, organ damage, heart failure and death (Peterson, 2012). There are multiple types of anemia with the most common being; iron-deficiency anemia, folic acid-deficiency anemia, vitamin B12 deficiency and microcytic anemia (PDRhealth, 2015).

Congenital dyserythropoietic anemia is a blood disorder r that is inherited and it is also present at birth. Congenital dyserythropoietic anemia is just one of the many types of anemia, which are conditions that affect the red blood cells. When a person has anemia they have a shortage of RBC’s. Red blood cells are important in maintaining homeostasis in the body. The main functions of the red blood cells are to transport oxygenated blood to the tissues of the body. With that being said, when people suffer from anemia do not get the adequate amount of oxygen to the tissues of their body. The symptoms of anemia vary from person to person, some experience weakness, while other are more fatigued (www.ghr.nih.gov). Other symptoms include pale skin, chest pains and tachycardia or fast or irregular heart rate/ beat.

Pernicious anemia is an autoimmune disorder that prevents the body from making the intrinsic factor. It is important to know how this process works. An autoimmune disease is a disease where the body’s own immune system makes antibodies that attack its own body because it recognizes something in the body (in this case intrinsic factor) as foreign that needs to be destroyed. The antibodies attack the

Pernicious anemia due to decreased B12 affects the hematopoietic,gastrointestinal and nervous systems of the body. The hematopoietic system is affected in that, B12 is essential for the formation of red blood cells, therefore without adequate B12, there is a reduction in the production of red blood cells causing abnormally large shaped red blood cells to be produced. Red blood cells carry oxygen , therefore the NP will anticipate patients with anemia to have symptoms like dizziness, fatigue, pallor, tinnitus, cardiomegaly with murmur, tachycardia, and chest pain. Additionally, symptoms of the affected gastrointestinal system include anorexia, weight loss, abdominal cramping, weight loss, and glossitis. Moreover, symptoms of the affected

Pernicious anemia is a condition in which the body fails to make enough healthy red blood cells because there is a deficiency of vitamin B12. Vitamin B12 is a nutrient that the body needs in order to make healthy red blood cells and to keep the nervous system working properly. Individuals with pernicious anemia can’t absorb enough vitamin B12 from foods because they lack intrinsic factor (IF), a protein made in the stomach that is necessary for the absorption of vitamin B12. A lack of this protein leads to a deficiency of vitamin B12. ( ) The decreased absorption of vitamin B12 from the gastrointestinal tract that causes this condition is believed to be the result of an autoimmune process which makes the body’s immune system attack the lining of the stomach. Normally, vitamin B12 binds to intrinsic factor in the stomach to help ease its absorption later when digestive products pass through the small intestines. The autoimmune process attacks the IF protein resulting in lower IF levels in stomach secretions, therefore, causing vitamin B12 to not be absorbed. ( )

Although excess bilirubin can have extreme consequences, it is not always so dire. Gilbert’s syndrome, also known as constitutional hepatic dysfunction or familial nonhemolytic jaundice is the result of an inherited gene mutation. It is a harmless liver condition in which bilirubin is not properly processed. It is not always noticeable until a blood test shows elevated bilirubin levels, and only occasionally do people show symptoms of jaundice (

Hyperbilirubinemia is a condition in which there is too much bilirubin in the blood. When red blood cells break down, a substance called bilirubin is formed. Babys cannot easily get rid of the bilirubin and it can build up in the blood and other tissues and fluids of the baby's body. Bilirubin has a pigment or coloring, it causes a yellowing of the baby's skin, eyes, and other tissues. This is called jaundice.

A six year male child presented with chief complaints of yellow discoloration of eyes and associated history of passing high coloured urine for three months. It was associated with nausea, diffuse abdominal pain and decreased appetite. There was no history of irritability, change in behaviour or altered sleep pattern and no bleeding from any site. He had not received blood transfusion any time in the past. There was no similar illness any of the family members. The child was admitted to a private institution for a two week period, but as there was no improvement, he was referred to our institute. At admission, he was afebrile and vitals were stable. General physical examination revealed mild pallor and severe jaundice. Gastrointestinal systemic examination revealed moderate hepatomegaly along with an enlarged left lobe of liver. There were no other clinical features suggestive of chronic liver disease. Investigations revealed a total serum bilirubin of 15.6mg/dl with conjugated fraction of 13.40mg/dl.

Iron deficiency anemia is quite common in children, as iron is needed to support growth. A lack of iron in the diet can cause delays in brain development, which may be irreversible. Common symptoms of iron deficiency anemia include irritability, palor, weakness, and cold hands and feet. Prevention of anemia is crucial for expectant mothers, as anemic women are at a higher risk for delivery complications such as hemorrhaging and having infants of low-birth weight. (Frantz, C. 2010).