PERNICIOUS ANEMIA

Course overview

PERNICIOUS ANEMIA (PA) IS MEGALOBLASTIC ANEMIA RESULTING FROM A DEFICIENCY OF COBALAMIN (VITAMIN B12), WHICH IN TURN IS CAUSED BY A LACK OF INTRINSIC FACTOR (IF). INTRINSIC FACTOR IS A GLYCOPROTEIN THAT BINDS COBALAMIN AND THEREBY ENABLES ITS ABSORPTION IN THE TERMINAL ILEUM. PERNICIOUS ANEMIA IS OFTEN DESCRIBED AS AN AUTOIMMUNE DISORDER DUE TO THE FINDINGS OF GASTRIC AUTOANTIBODIES DIRECTED AGAINST BOTH IF AND PARIETAL CELLS AND THE INCREASED FREQUENCY OF OTHER AUTOIMMUNE DISEASES SEEN IN PATIENTS WITH PERNICIOUS ANEMIA. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE CLINICAL PRESENTATION, EVALUATION, AND TREATMENT OF PERNICIOUS ANEMIA AND HIGHLIGHTS THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM'S ROLE IN THE MANAGEMENT OF PATIENTS WITH THIS CONDITION.