Infect Chemother.  2011 Jun;43(3):266-269. 10.3947/ic.2011.43.3.266.

Vitamin B12 Deficiency Megaloblastic Anemia in a Patient with Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Internal Medicine, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. paihj@hanyang.ac.kr

Abstract

Anemia is the most common hematologic finding in patients with advanced infections caused by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or advanced acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Among many etiologies of HIV-associated anemia, vitamin B12 deficiency plays an important role, mostly due to malabsorption or HIV enteropathy. We experienced a case of megaloblastic anemia caused by vitamin B12 deficiency in a male patient with an AIDS who had no structural gastrointestinal problem. He showed severe anemia, leukopenia, thrombocytopenia and suspicious neurologic manifestations such as aggravation of dementia and gait disturbance. With vitamin B12 and folate treatment, the patient's general condition and hematologic features were improved successfully.

Keyword

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV); Megaloblastic anemia; Vitamin B12

MeSH Terms

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
Anemia
Anemia, Megaloblastic
Dementia
Folic Acid
Gait
HIV
HIV Enteropathy
Humans
Leukopenia
Male
Neurologic Manifestations
Thrombocytopenia
Vitamin B 12
Vitamin B 12 Deficiency
Vitamins
Folic Acid
Vitamin B 12
Vitamins

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