Efficacy of short-term oral cobalamin therapy for the treatment of cobalamin deficiencies related to food-cobalamin malabsorption: A study of 30 patients

Abstract

Our findings suggest that crystalline cyanocobalamin, 250-1000 microg/day, given orally for 1 month, may be an effective treatment for cobalamin deficiencies not related to pernicious anemia.

The Syndrome of Food-Cobalamin Malabsorption: A Personal View in a Perspective of Clinical Practice

“…We have recently published an exhaustive review of the efficacy of oral cobalamin therapy in reference [29]. Table 3 summarizes the results of various not blinded, placebo-controlled trials that we conducted with oral cyanocobalamin in the context of FCM management [30][31][32]. All of the patients who were treated orally corrected their vitamin B12 levels and at least 80% corrected their hematological abnormalities.…”

“…All of the patients who were treated orally corrected their vitamin B12 levels and at least 80% corrected their hematological abnormalities. Moreover, half of the patients experienced a clinical improvement on oral treatment [29][30][31][32]34]. It is to note that the effect of oral cobalamin treatment in patients presenting with severe neurological manifestations has not yet been adequately documented [29].…”

“…Oral cyanocobalamin: 125 to 1000 µg/day during 1 week -Normalisation of serum cobalamin levels in all patients treated with >250 µg/day -Dose effect (dose >500 µg/day more effective) [32] -Retrospective study -n=31 -Cobalamin deficiency related to food-cobalamin malabsorption (n=20) and pernicious anaemia (n=10)…”

“…Oral cyanocobalamin: 250 to 1000 µg/day during 1 month -Normalisation of serum cobalamin levels in 87% of the subjects -Significant 0.6 g/dl increase in Hb and significant 3fl decrease in ECV; normalisation of Hb and ECV in 54% and 100% of the subjects, respectively -Dose effect (dose >500 µg/day more effective) [30] -Open prospective study -n = 30 -Cobalamin deficiency related to food-cobalamin malabsorption…”

Update of Food-Cobalamin Malabsorption and Oral Cobalamin Therapy

“…In cases of cobalamin deficiency other than those caused by nutritional deficiency, alternative routes of cobalamin administration have been used: oral [17,18,[39][40][41][42][43][44][45] and nasal [46,47]. These other routes of administration have been proposed as a way of avoiding the discomfort, inconvenience and cost of monthly injections.…”