Nonhematological Manifestations of Pernicious Anemia.

Abstract

Pernicious anemia (PA) is an autoimmune disease characterized by cobalamin deficiency (CD) due to immune-mediated chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG). CD results from poor absorption of dietary cobalamin from the terminal ileum, triggered by positive intrinsic factor (IF) antibodies. It is the most common cause of CD worldwide. Despite advances in understanding biochemistry and pathogenesis of PA, its diagnosis can be extremely challenging as the disease may present with hematological as well as nonhematological manifestations and also because of unreliable serum cobalamin assays. Nonhematological manifestations may present in a patient with PA even in the absence of hematological findings. Herein, an overview of common and uncommon nonhematological manifestations of PA is discussed.