Haematological Effects of Oral Cobalamin Preparations on Patients with Megaloblastic Anaemia

Abstract

We investigated the haematological effects of a massive dose of oral cobalamin (vitamin B₁₂) on patients with cobalamin deficiency anaemia who had severe anaemia with a few neurological impairments and found that oral treatment was almost as effective as conventional injection therapy. The recovery of haematological indices with oral cobalamin preparations was slightly slower than with parenteral preparations, although the subjective symptoms disappeared soon after the start of therapy. The results of this study indicate that oral treatment keeps the cobalamin body stores satisfactorily filled and might be useful for older patients in whom injecting might be difficult.

Efficacy of oral methylcobalamin in treatment of vitamin B12 deficiency anemia in children

“…The response to oral therapy is described among adults as reticulocytosis peaking at 1 week, with correction of WBC, platelets, and MCV after an average of 9.5, 9.7, and 22.4 days, respectively. Hb is usually the last to improve, with values exceeding 10 g/dl within an average of 34.3 days . Our children showed a similar response in all parameters.…”

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

“…While the current results suggest that oral crystalline cyanocobalamin may be effective for the treatment of cobalamin deficiency related to food cobalamin malabsorption, the treatment duration and the optimal dose of oral cyanocobalamin remain to be determined (Carmel, 1995; Kondo, 1998). In the present study, all patients showed significant responses during the first month of oral cobalamin therapy.…”

Vitamin B12 deficiency, hyperhomocysteinemia and thrombosis: a case and control study

“…However, clinical response has not been consistently optimal [45]: relapse occurs more when oral cobalamin is discontinued and there is lack of evidence of equivalent neurologic improvement after oral vitamin B12 [46]. In elderly persons with MMA abnormalities, high levels of MMA persist after daily oral intake of vitamin B12 [43,47].…”