Fast Five Quiz: Vitamin B₁₂ Deficiency

Common presenting symptoms often include signs of anemia (eg, fatigue, pallor). Other presenting symptoms may include jaundice, peripheral neuropathy, glossitis, diarrhea, headaches, and neuropsychiatric disturbances.

Recognized clinical manifestations of vitamin B₁₂ deficiency include the following:

• Cutaneous

  • Hyperpigmentation

  • Jaundice

  • Vitiligo

• Gastrointestinal

  • Glossitis

  • Diarrhea

• Hematologic

  • Anemia (macrocytic, megaloblastic)

  • Leukopenia

  • Pancytopenia

  • Thrombocytopenia

  • Thrombocytosis

• Neurological

  • Areflexia

  • Headaches

  • Cognitive impairment (including dementia-like symptoms and acute psychosis)

  • Gait abnormalities

  • Irritability

  • Loss of proprioception and vibratory sense

  • Olfactory impairment

  • Peripheral neuropathy

Read more about neurologic manifestations of vitamin B₁₂ deficiency.

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Any views expressed above are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the views of WebMD or Medscape.

Cite this: Romesh Khardori. Fast Five Quiz: Vitamin B12 Deficiency - Medscape - Dec 22, 2020.