Serum Cobalamin

BACKGROUND: Copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), and the copper/zinc ratio (Cu/Zn), which have been studied in gastrointestinal disorders of humans, may facilitate disease prognosis. OBJECTIVE: Evaluate the predictive potential of Cu, Zn, cobalamin, and serum amyloid A (SAA) as prognostic indicators in cats with feline panleukopenia (FPV) on admission. ANIMALS: Client-owned cats diagnosed with FPV and controls. METHODS: Serum Cu and Zn concentrations were assessed using the spectrophotometric method and serum concentrations of SAA and cobalamin were measured by chemiluminescent immunoassay...

BACKGROUND: It is unknown if serum concentrations of cobalamin, folate, canine pancreatic lipase immunoreactivity (cPLI), and canine trypsin-like immunoreactivity (cTLI) obtained postprandially are equivalent to measurements obtained after withholding food in dogs with suspected gastrointestinal disease. HYPOTHESIS/OBJECTIVES: Measurements of serum concentrations of cobalamin, folate, cPLI, and cTLI postprandially will be equivalent to measurements after 12 hours of withholding food in dogs with signs of chronic gastrointestinal disease...

The aim of the present study was to define pediatric reference intervals for serum cobalamin and folate utilizing data generated from a population not exposed to food fortified with folic acid. Folate and cobalamin results analyzed by electrochemiluminescence immunoassay (Roche Cobas) were obtained from 2375 children (2 months to 17.99 years of age). The serum samples were collected between 2011 and 2015 as part of the LIFE (Leipzig Research Centre for Civilization Diseases) Child cohort study in Germany, where folic acid fortification of food is not mandated...

Two severe cases of hemolytic anemia are described in different pediatric age groups, both linked to severe cobalamin deficiency from distinct causes. The first case refers to an exclusively breastfed infant with vitamin deficit secondary to maternal impaired absorption. Apart from the neurological deficits present at diagnosis, he also presented with infantile epileptic spasms syndrome a few months after treatment while having normal cobalamin serum levels. The second case refers to an adolescent with long-term inadequate intake...

INTRODUCTION: Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) is a globally prevalent infectious disease caused by the hantavirus in rodents. CASE STUDY: This report describes a case of a 36-year-old male presenting with elevated ferritin, vitamin B12, and folic acid deficiency during the early onset phase of HFRS. Despite normal renal function at admission, the patient exhibited persistent fever and thrombocytopenia, leading to a potential misdiagnosis of an atypical HFRS presentation...

OBJECTIVES: Determine comparative tolerance of daily oral and weekly parenteral cobalamin supplementation, in hypocobalaminaemic dogs with chronic enteropathy. Determine whether oral is as effective as parenteral supplementation at achieving eucobalaminaemia, in hypocobalaminaemic dogs with protein-losing enteropathy, severe hypocobalaminaemia or high canine inflammatory bowel disease activity index at inclusion. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-seven client-owned dogs with hypocobalaminaemia and clinical signs of chronic enteropathy were prospectively enrolled in three UK referral centres...

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the fecal bacterial microbiota at the time of diagnosis (T0) and after 1 month of therapy (T1) in cats diagnosed with lymphoplasmacytic enteritis (LPE) or cats with low-grade intestinal T-cell lymphoma (LGITL) and to compare these findings with those of healthy cats. ANIMALS: 5 healthy cats, 13 cats with LPE, and 7 cats with LGITL were prospectively enrolled between June 2020 and June 2021. METHODS: Fecal samples were collected at T0 and T1, and DNA was extracted for 16S ribosomal amplicon sequencing...

Vitamin B12 (cobalamin) deficiency is common in patients with rheumatic diseases. Pernicious anemia is a well-known cause, but recent reports suggest that autoimmune-derived deficiency may not be limited to this cause alone. Symptoms of low vitamin B12 concentration are often deceptive, mimicking and overlapping with symptoms of other conditions. Neuropsychiatric manifestations, anemia, and fatigue are frequently attributed to a rheumatic disease without further evaluation. In this study, we present three cases of patients with neuropathic pain, depression, fatigue, and muscle weakness, initially attributed to a rheumatic disease, which almost completely resolved after implementing vitamin B12 supplementation...

BACKGROUND: Micronutrient deficiencies and anemia are widespread among children with stunting. OBJECTIVE: We assessed the effects of lipid-based nutrient supplements (LNS) containing milk protein (MP) and/or whey permeate (WP) on micronutrient status and hemoglobin (Hb) among children with stunting. DESIGN: This was a secondary analysis of a randomized, controlled trial. Children 12-59-month-old with stunting were randomized to LNS (100g/d) with milk or soy protein and WP or maltodextrin for 12 weeks, or no supplement...

Chronic inflammatory enteropathy (CIE) in dogs, a spontaneous model of human inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), is associated with a high rate of cobalamin deficiency. The etiology of hypocobalaminemia in human IBD and canine CIE remains unknown, and compromised intestinal uptake of cobalamin resulting from ileal cobalamin receptor deficiency has been proposed as a possible cause. Here, we evaluated the intestinal expression of the cobalamin receptor subunits, amnionless (AMN) and cubilin (CUBN), and the basolateral efflux transporter multi-drug resistance protein 1 (MRP1) in 22 dogs with CIE in comparison to healthy dogs...

Chronic inflammatory enteropathy (CIE) and low-grade intestinal T-cell lymphoma (LGITL) are common chronic enteropathies (CE) in cats. Enteric microbiota dysbiosis is implicated in the pathogenesis of CE; however, the mechanisms of host-microbiome interactions are poorly understood in cats. Microbial indole catabolites of tryptophan (MICT) are gut bacterial catabolites of tryptophan that are hypothesized to regulate intestinal inflammation and mucosal barrier function. MICTs are decreased in the sera of humans with inflammatory bowel disease and previous studies identified altered tryptophan metabolism in cats with CE...

OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study were to investigate the prevalence of hypocobalaminaemia in dogs with acute gastrointestinal diseases and to evaluate its relationship with disease severity and outcome. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Medical records of dogs presented for acute gastrointestinal signs that a serum cobalamin concentration measured between September 2019 and 2021 were included in this study. Hypocobalaminaemia was defined as serum cobalamin concentration <200 pmol/L, and low-normal cobalamin was defined as serum cobalamin concentration of 200 to 295 pmol/L...

BACKGROUND: Combined methylmalonic acidemia (MMA) and hyperhomocysteinemia, cobalamin C (cblC) type, also named cblC deficiency is a rare autosomal recessive genetic metabolic disease. It progressively causes neurological, hematologic, renal and other system dysfunction. The clinical manifestations are relatively different due to the onset time of disease. CASE PRESENTATION: This report describes a rare case of a 26 year old man with cblC deficiency who developed life-threatening aortic dissection and acute kidney injury (AKI) and showed neuropsychiatric symptoms with elevated serum homocysteine and methylmalonic aciduria...

Nitrous oxide abuse may cause functional cobalamin deficiency and subsequent damage to the peripheral nerves, the spinal cord, and the brain, a symptom complex best described by the term cobalamin neuropathy. Here, we report a case of cobalamin neuropathy with uncommon cerebral symptomatology following nitrous oxide intoxication and contextualize the symptomatology. A 22-year-old male with a history of mixed drug dependency presented at the emergency room after inhaling six 615 g cylinders, equal to ~1800 L, of nitrous oxide daily for two weeks...

Vitamin B12 (or cobalamin) is an essential vitamin for DNA synthesis, fatty acid and protein metabolism as well as other metabolic pathways fundamental to the integrity of cells and tissues in humans. It is derived from the diet and mostly stored in the liver. Its deficiency has been associated with metabolic derangements, i.e., obesity, glucose intolerance, increased lipogenesis and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and steatohepatitis (MASH). However, data with regard to body weight across the whole spectrum (from underweight to severe obesity) in children and young individuals are scarce...

BACKGROUND - AIM: Hyperhomocysteinemia is recognized as a risk factor for several diseases and conditions. The aim of this study was to investigate and compare the efficacy of two total homocysteine (tHcy)-lowering treatments including folinic acid or l-methylfolate in healthy Greek adults. METHODS: Two hundred and seventy-two healthy Greek adults (143 men, 129 women; mean age±SD: 43.0 ± 15.3 years), with serum tHcy levels ≥10 μmol/L received randomized folinic acid ("Folinic acid Group") or l-methylfolate ("l-methylfolate Group") orally for three months...

Methylmalonic acidemia (MMA) is a genetic condition affecting cobalamin metabolism causing elevated serum and urine methylmalonic acid without B12 deficiency. MMA presents with ketoacidotic hyperammonemic coma in newborns and can result in neonatal death or severe neurological disability. Rarely, this diagnosis is missed, or patients do not present until later in life. Presentation of this life-threatening condition is variable in adults. Improvement is rapid with IV cobalamin and a specialized diet. This case is intended to increase clinician's awareness of the late presentation of this disease and the importance of high clinical suspicion and prompt diagnosis...

BACKGROUND: In the Western world, there has been a notable rise in the popularity of plant-based, meat-reduced flexitarian diets. Nevertheless, there is insufficient data on the nutritional status of individuals following this dietary pattern. The aim of this study was to investigate the intake and endogenous status of various nutrients in a healthy German adult study population consisting of flexitarians (FXs), vegans (Vs) and omnivores (OMNs). METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, dietary intake of 94 non-smoking adults (32 FXs, 33 Vs, 29 OMNs) between 25 and 45 years of age was assessed using 3-day dietary records...

We present a case of a 48-year-old woman with a fortuitous discovery of macrocytic anemia and thrombocytopenia. Serum folate and vitamin B12 levels were normal. However, due to the presence of indirect signs of cobalamin deficiency, such as elevated homocysteine and methylmalonic acid, and signs of dyserythropoiesis on the bone marrow aspirate, pernicious anemia was suspected. Vitamin B12 dosage was repeated finding fluctuating but always normal results. Anti-intrinsic factor antibodies were present at a very high level, explaining the fluctuations and the interference found on the assay using competitive binding chemiluminescence (CBLA)...

BACKGROUND: Cobalamin (Cbl) and folate are common supplements clinicians prescribe as an adjuvant therapy for dementia patients, on the presumption of their neurotrophic and/or homocysteine (Hcy) lowering effect. However, the treatment efficacy has been found mixed and the effects of Cbl/folate/Hcy on the human brain remain to be elucidated. OBJECTIVE: To explore the neurovascular correlates of Cbl/folate/Hcy in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and subcortical ischemic vascular dementia (SIVD)...