Treatment
“Usually vitamin therapy is not an emergency. If diagnostic tests indicate pernicious anemia and neurologic symptoms are present, however, vitamin B12 therapy should begin immediately. Generally, cyanocobalamin or hydroxocobalamin injections are given every day for up to two weeks, followed by injections twice a week for another month. After that, injections are usually given monthly. Vitamin B12 shots must be taken for life when used to treat pernicious anemia or any other irreversible absorption problems in the intestine that are causing megaloblastic anemia” (”Anemia”, 16-17)webmd. “New evidence suggests that oral B12 works as well as injections, according to a study published in the journal Blood-but high doses must be taken. This verifies reports from Sweden dating from the 1970’s that pernicious anemia, a disease of B12 deficiency, can be controlled with oral B12. According to recent data, 2,000 micrograms/day of oral B12 cures the symptoms of B12 deficiency, including elevated homocysteine, neurological problems, and methylmalonic acid ( a marker of B12 deficiency). Patients with pernicious anemia lack intrinsic factor usually because of insufficient stomach acid. Others may have antibodies to the factor-an inappropriate autoimmune response to one’s own proteins. Injected B12 has traditionally been used for pernicious anemia because it bypasses the absorption problem” (Mitchell, 34-36). If treatment for pernicious anemia is not sought early enough, it could give rise to other problems including Congestive heart failure, neurological problems referred to as combined systems disease, other various infections, and impotence in males (COHIS, 2).
METHODOLOGY
The methodology chosen for this study is survey research. The purpose of this study is to gather information on nutritional anemia so it can be successfully prevented and treated. For this to be a success, the input of experts in this field is essential. Before this survey was sent, it was pretested on a group of physicians in the Orlando area. These physicians helped to iron out inadequacies in the questions. This was very helpful because it created a very effective survey that yielded the most productive results. One hundred surveys were sent to the International Nutritional Anemia Consultative Group(INACG). The purpose of INACG is to guide international activities that are trying to reduce nutritional anemia in the world. The INACG sponsors scientific reviews and convenes task force groups to analyze issues related to etiology, treatment, and prevention of nutritional anemia. This group gathers the most useful, up-to-date information on nutritional anemia, therefore, their feedback from the survey is essential to this research. One hundred experts in the field of anemia were mailed surveys and asked to complete and return them. These one hundred people were chosen randomly from a list of experts involved with the International Nutritional Anemia Consultative Group. Of these one hundred surveys, ninety-eight were returned to me in time to be included in my study. This organization is dedicated to reducing the prevalence of nutritional anemia, so this high response rate was to be expected.
PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS OF RESULTS
The results obtained from the survey were very useful in the study. Out of the one hundred surveys sent out, ninety-eight were returned. The information gained from the survey was consistent with the other findings of this study. It clarified differences and similarities between the different types of nutritional anemia. The importance of performing this research has been reinforced by the information that has been gathered. There are many problems that can arise from these diseases if left untreated, and there are many simple things that everyone can do to prevent these diseases from entering their lives. The following are results from the study.
The symptoms of these three forms of anemia have many similarities. Some common symptoms include: fatigue, shortness of breath, and sore tongue. In Iron deficiency anemia and Pernicious anemia a yellowish tinge in the eyes and skin can be observed. The stage of life that is most affected by each of these forms of anemia vary. In Iron deficiency anemia women of reproductive years and children 6-24 months old are most affected. In Folic acid deficiency anemia people over 60 are most affected. Pernicious anemia is mostly not seen before the age of 30, and is most prevalent in people from age 50 to 60. There is a juvenile form that exists, and it’s detected in children by the age of three. The incidence of these three forms of anemia also vary. Iron deficiency anemia has an incidence of two out of every one thousand people. Folic acid deficiency anemia has an incidence of four out of every one hundred thousand people. Pernicious anemia has an incidence of one out of every one thousand people. There are various conditions that can cause a person to get these forms of anemia. Cancer, internal blood loss, ulcers, and lead poisoning are all conditions that could potentially cause Iron deficiency anemia. Pregnancy, alcoholism, parasitic diseases, and cancer are some conditions that may cause Folic acid deficiency anemia. Alcoholism, Chrohn’s disease, and malabsorption disorders could cause Pernicious anemia. There are several treatments that have been proposed for each of these forms of anemia. For treatment of Iron deficiency anemia, iron supplementation, food fortification, and dietary improvement are all possible treatments. Dietary improvement, supplementation, cessation of smoking, and cessation of alcohol consumption are all treatments that are considered for Folic acid deficiency anemia. For the treatment of Pernicious anemia, dietary improvement and B12 replacement are both possible methods.
Comparative Information on various forms of Nutritional Anemia
Nutritional Anemia Iron deficiency anemia Folic acid deficiency anemia Pernicious anemia
Symptoms Fatigue, Shortness of breath, sore tongue, yellowish tinge in eyes and skin Fatigue, shortness of breath, sore tongue, Fatigue, shortness of breath, sore tongue, yellowish tinge in eyes and skin
Affected age brackets Women of reproductive years and children 6-24 months mostly seen in people over 60 Not usually seen in people before the age of 30. There is a Juvenile form found in children by age 3.
Incidence 2 out of 1,000 4 out of 100,000 1 out of 1,000
Conditions that could induce these diseases Cancer, internal blood loss, ulcers, lead poisoning pregnancy, alcoholism, parasitic diseases, cancer alcoholism, Chrohn’s disease, malabsorption
Proposed treatments Iron supplementation
Food fortification
Dietary improvement Dietary improvement
Supplementation
Cessation of smoking
Cessation of alcohol consumption Dietary improvement
B12 replacement
CONCLUSION
This study was conducted in an attempt to gather information to evaluate the importance of investigating nutritional anemia. The findings of this research confirm the importance of studying these forms of anemia. These conditions are prevalent in the lives of many people in and out of this country, and there is a lot of action we can take to prevent and treat them. As previously noted, this research was done on the nutritional causes of anemia. As implied in the name, these conditions have much to do with nutrition, and there is a lot we can do ourselves to correct these problems. Eating food rich in vitamins that we are lacking, taking supplements, and avoiding certain behaviors that make us more susceptible to these conditions are all simple measures that we can take to prevent these conditions from invading our lives. There is already sufficient research done on this subject, but I suggest that the investigation of alternative treatments for these conditions be pursued. There are many up-and-coming alternative ways of treating disorders that are gaining recognition. These methods deserve a chance in this research because if they can offer additional ways to combat theses conditions, then they are worth looking into.
722
“Anemia.” OnHealth. Online. Internet. 11 November 1999.
“Anemia.” WebMD. Online. Lycos Network. 18 September 1999.
“Anemia.” WellWeb. Online. Internet. 11 November 1999.
“Anemia and Iron Status.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Online. Internet. 18 November 1999.
“Anemia, Folic Acid Deficiency.” RxMed. Online. Internet. 11 November 1999.
“Anemia of B12 deficiency.” Adam.com. Online. Internet. 8 November 1999.
“Anemia of Folate deficiency.” Adam.com. Online. Internet. 8 November 1999.
“Anemia, Pernicious.” RxMed. Online. Internet. 20 November 1999.
“Blood Disorders (Anemias).” InteliHealth. Online. Internet. 11 November 1999.
Burns, Edward R. M.D. “A simpler approach to diagnosing anemia.” Acute Care medicine May 1985: 10-15.
“Diseases of Iron Metabolism.” WebPath. Online. Internet. 12 November 1999.
International Nutritional Anemia Consultative Grou