Clinical Research
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VITAMIN B12 DEFICIENCY IN CHILDOOD: A SINGLE CENTRE EXPERIENCE

Year 2023, Volume: 5 Issue: 1, 34 - 43, 04.05.2023

Gökçe Celep Sümeyye Evsile

https://doi.org/10.55895/sshs.1228459

Abstract

Purpose: Vitamin B12 is an essential micronutrient for neurodevelopment, growth and erythropoiesis of the human body. Deficiency is a common public health problem affecting young children; leading to neuropsychiatric and hematologic disorders. The aim of this study was to determine the rate and clinical findings of B12 deficiency among a sample of well children in a city located of middle northern Turkey.
Methods: The study was carried out in the pediatric outpatient clinics of a tertiary health-care center in middle-northern Turkey between November 1, 2019 and May 31, 2022. The medical records about age, gender, clinical history and laboratory data were retrieved from the hospital information system, retrospectively. Results were presented as percentages and fractional data after the analyses based on software.
Results: The study group consisted of 240 participants aged between 1-6 years old, 42.9% (n=103) of them were boys. The rate of vitamin B12 deficiency (<250 pg/ml) was 18.3% (n=44). Anemia was detected in 50 (20.8%) and macrocytosis was present in 31 (12.9%) of the participants. Constitutional symptoms were the most common reason of hospital administration (n=89; 37.1%) and vitamin B12 deficiency was mostly presented by constitutional symptoms (n=17; 38.6%).
Conclusion: Vitamin B12 is a public health problem in children which can be prevented. Clinical suspicions should lead clinicians for ordering blood tests because accompanying problems may veil vitamin B12 deficiency. Screening programs can be carried out to prevent permanent neurologic complications in vulnerable populations.

Keywords

Childhood Deficiency Vitamin B12

Supporting Institution

None

Project Number

None

References

  • Akcaboy, M., Malbora, B., Zorlu, P., Altınel, E., Oguz, M. M., & Senel, S. . (2015). Vitamin B12 Deficiency in Infants. Indian journal of pediatrics, 82(7), 619–624. doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12098-015-1725-3
  • Altuntaş, N., Soylu, K., Suskan, E., & Akar, N. (2004). Homocysteine levels in Turkish children. Turkish Journal of Haematology: Official Journal of Turkish Society of Haematology, 21(2), 79- 82.
  • Barnabé, A., Aléssio, A. C. M., Bittar, L. F., de Moraes Mazetto, B., Bicudo, A. M., de Paula, E. V., .Annichino Bizzacchi, J. M. (2015). Folate, vitamin B12 and Homocysteine status in the postfolic acid fortification era in different subgroups of the Brazilian population attended to at a public health care center. Nutrition journal, 14(1), 1-10.
  • Brugnara C, O. F., Nathan DG (2015). Diagnostic approach to the anemic patient (8th ed ed.). Philadelphia: WB Saunders.
  • Celep, G., & Durmaz, Z. (2021). Çocuklarda Demir Eksikliği ve Demir Eksikliği Anemisi: Tek Merkez Deneyimi. İstanbul Gelişim Üniversitesi Sağlık Bilimleri Dergisi(13), 16-29.
  • Cuevas-Nasu, L., Mundo-Rosas, V., Shamah-Levy, T., Méndez-Gómez Humaran, I., Ávila-Arcos, M. A., Rebollar-Campos, M., & Villalpando, S. (2012). Prevalence of folate and vitamin B12 deficiency in Mexican children aged 1 to 6 years in a population-based survey. salud pública de méxico, 54, 116-124.
  • Çolak A, A., Anıl, M., Toprak, B., Köse, E., & Üstüner, F. (2012). The relationship between vitamin B12 level and peripheral complete blood count values in children. Journal of Dr. Behcet Uz Children's Hospital, 2(2).
  • Dror, D. K., & Allen, L. H. (2008). Effect of vitamin B12 deficiency on neurodevelopment in infants: current knowledge and possible mechanisms. Nutrition reviews, 66(5), 250-255.
  • El-Khateeb, M., Khader, Y., Batieha, A., Jaddou, H., Hyassat, D., Belbisi, A., & Ajlouni, K. (2014). Vitamin B12 deficiency in Jordan: a population-based study. Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism, 64(2), 101-105.
  • Escott-Stump, S. (2008). Nutrition and diagnosis-related care: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Finkelstein, J. L., Layden, A. J., & Stover, P. J. (2015). Vitamin B-12 and perinatal health. Advances in Nutrition, 6(5), 552-563.
  • Kara İH, K. H., Bahçebaşı T, Köylü OK, Sayın S, Demirin H, Memişoğulları R. (2010). Check-up polikliniğine başvuran 50 yaşüzeri bireylerin folat, B12 vitamini düzeyleri ve anemi yönünden değerlendirilmesi. Turkish Journal of Biochemistry-Turk J Biochem, 35(4), 350-355.
  • Karabayir, N., Teber, B. G., Dursun, H. K., & Pehlivan, L. S. (2022). Is There An Association Between Vitamin B12 Level and Vitamin D Status in Children? Journal of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, 44(3), e677-e681.
  • Kliegman RM, S. B., St Geme III JW, Schor NF, Behrman RE. . (2011). The Anemias (L. NB. Ed. 19th edition ed. Vol. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics). Philadephia: Saunders Company.
  • Lanzkowsky, P. (2005). Manual of pediatric hematology and oncology: Elsevier.
  • Ludwig, M. L., & Matthews, R. G. (1997). Structure-based perspectives on B12-dependent enzymes. Annual review of biochemistry, 66(1), 269-313.
  • NIH, O. o. D. S. O.-. (2020). Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet: Vitamin B12. Retrieved http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/ VitaminB12-HealthProfessional October 2022
  • Nyaradi, A., Li, J., Hickling, S., Foster, J., & Oddy, W. H. (2013). The role of nutrition in children's neurocognitive development, from pregnancy through childhood. Frontiers in human neuroscience, 7, 97.
  • Oosterhuis, W., Niessen, R., Bossuyt, P., Sanders, G., & Sturk, A. (2000). Diagnostic value of the mean corpuscular volume in the detection of vitamin B12 deficiency. Scandinavian journal of clinical and laboratory investigation, 60(1), 9-18.
  • Pawlak, R., Lester, S., & Babatunde, T. (2014). The prevalence of cobalamin deficiency among vegetarians assessed by serum vitamin B12: a review of literature. European journal of clinical nutrition, 68(5), 541-548.
  • Sarna, A., Porwal, A., Ramesh, S., Agrawal, P. K., Acharya, R., Johnston, R., . . . Ramakrishnan, L. (2020). Characterisation of the types of anaemia prevalent among children and adolescents aged 1–19 years in India: a population-based study. The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health, 4(7), 515-525.

Year 2023, Volume: 5 Issue: 1, 34 - 43, 04.05.2023

Gökçe Celep Sümeyye Evsile

https://doi.org/10.55895/sshs.1228459

Abstract

Project Number

None

References

  • Akcaboy, M., Malbora, B., Zorlu, P., Altınel, E., Oguz, M. M., & Senel, S. . (2015). Vitamin B12 Deficiency in Infants. Indian journal of pediatrics, 82(7), 619–624. doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12098-015-1725-3
  • Altuntaş, N., Soylu, K., Suskan, E., & Akar, N. (2004). Homocysteine levels in Turkish children. Turkish Journal of Haematology: Official Journal of Turkish Society of Haematology, 21(2), 79- 82.
  • Barnabé, A., Aléssio, A. C. M., Bittar, L. F., de Moraes Mazetto, B., Bicudo, A. M., de Paula, E. V., .Annichino Bizzacchi, J. M. (2015). Folate, vitamin B12 and Homocysteine status in the postfolic acid fortification era in different subgroups of the Brazilian population attended to at a public health care center. Nutrition journal, 14(1), 1-10.
  • Brugnara C, O. F., Nathan DG (2015). Diagnostic approach to the anemic patient (8th ed ed.). Philadelphia: WB Saunders.
  • Celep, G., & Durmaz, Z. (2021). Çocuklarda Demir Eksikliği ve Demir Eksikliği Anemisi: Tek Merkez Deneyimi. İstanbul Gelişim Üniversitesi Sağlık Bilimleri Dergisi(13), 16-29.
  • Cuevas-Nasu, L., Mundo-Rosas, V., Shamah-Levy, T., Méndez-Gómez Humaran, I., Ávila-Arcos, M. A., Rebollar-Campos, M., & Villalpando, S. (2012). Prevalence of folate and vitamin B12 deficiency in Mexican children aged 1 to 6 years in a population-based survey. salud pública de méxico, 54, 116-124.
  • Çolak A, A., Anıl, M., Toprak, B., Köse, E., & Üstüner, F. (2012). The relationship between vitamin B12 level and peripheral complete blood count values in children. Journal of Dr. Behcet Uz Children's Hospital, 2(2).
  • Dror, D. K., & Allen, L. H. (2008). Effect of vitamin B12 deficiency on neurodevelopment in infants: current knowledge and possible mechanisms. Nutrition reviews, 66(5), 250-255.
  • El-Khateeb, M., Khader, Y., Batieha, A., Jaddou, H., Hyassat, D., Belbisi, A., & Ajlouni, K. (2014). Vitamin B12 deficiency in Jordan: a population-based study. Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism, 64(2), 101-105.
  • Escott-Stump, S. (2008). Nutrition and diagnosis-related care: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Finkelstein, J. L., Layden, A. J., & Stover, P. J. (2015). Vitamin B-12 and perinatal health. Advances in Nutrition, 6(5), 552-563.
  • Kara İH, K. H., Bahçebaşı T, Köylü OK, Sayın S, Demirin H, Memişoğulları R. (2010). Check-up polikliniğine başvuran 50 yaşüzeri bireylerin folat, B12 vitamini düzeyleri ve anemi yönünden değerlendirilmesi. Turkish Journal of Biochemistry-Turk J Biochem, 35(4), 350-355.
  • Karabayir, N., Teber, B. G., Dursun, H. K., & Pehlivan, L. S. (2022). Is There An Association Between Vitamin B12 Level and Vitamin D Status in Children? Journal of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, 44(3), e677-e681.
  • Kliegman RM, S. B., St Geme III JW, Schor NF, Behrman RE. . (2011). The Anemias (L. NB. Ed. 19th edition ed. Vol. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics). Philadephia: Saunders Company.
  • Lanzkowsky, P. (2005). Manual of pediatric hematology and oncology: Elsevier.
  • Ludwig, M. L., & Matthews, R. G. (1997). Structure-based perspectives on B12-dependent enzymes. Annual review of biochemistry, 66(1), 269-313.
  • NIH, O. o. D. S. O.-. (2020). Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet: Vitamin B12. Retrieved http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/ VitaminB12-HealthProfessional October 2022
  • Nyaradi, A., Li, J., Hickling, S., Foster, J., & Oddy, W. H. (2013). The role of nutrition in children's neurocognitive development, from pregnancy through childhood. Frontiers in human neuroscience, 7, 97.
  • Oosterhuis, W., Niessen, R., Bossuyt, P., Sanders, G., & Sturk, A. (2000). Diagnostic value of the mean corpuscular volume in the detection of vitamin B12 deficiency. Scandinavian journal of clinical and laboratory investigation, 60(1), 9-18.
  • Pawlak, R., Lester, S., & Babatunde, T. (2014). The prevalence of cobalamin deficiency among vegetarians assessed by serum vitamin B12: a review of literature. European journal of clinical nutrition, 68(5), 541-548.
  • Sarna, A., Porwal, A., Ramesh, S., Agrawal, P. K., Acharya, R., Johnston, R., . . . Ramakrishnan, L. (2020). Characterisation of the types of anaemia prevalent among children and adolescents aged 1–19 years in India: a population-based study. The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health, 4(7), 515-525.
There are 20 citations in total.

Details

Primary Language English
Subjects Primary Health Care
Journal Section Research Articles
Authors

Gökçe Celep 0000-0001-6250-5096

Sümeyye Evsile 0000-0001-8118-0477

Project Number None
Publication Date May 4, 2023
Submission Date January 2, 2023
Published in Issue Year 2023 Volume: 5 Issue: 1

Cite

APA Celep, G., & Evsile, S. (2023). VITAMIN B12 DEFICIENCY IN CHILDOOD: A SINGLE CENTRE EXPERIENCE. Sabuncuoglu Serefeddin Health Sciences, 5(1), 34-43. https://doi.org/10.55895/sshs.1228459