High Burden of Vitamin B12 Deficiency among Adults and Elderly

  • Pratiksha Gyawali Department of Biochemistry, Kathmandu University School of Medical Sciences, Dhulikhel, Kavrepalanchok, Nepal
  • Rajendra Dev Bhatt Department of Biochemistry, Kathmandu University School of Medical Sciences, Dhulikhel, Kavrepalanchok, Nepal, https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1618-9085
  • Robin Man Karmacharya Department of Cardiothoracic Vascular Surgery(CTVS), Kathmandu University School of Medical Sciences, Dhulikhel, Kavrepalanchok, Nepal https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0802-6400
  • Vivek Pant Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Samyak Diagnostic Pvt. Ltd, Kathmandu, Nepal https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3967-1851
  • Ayesha Khadka Kathmandu Medical College, Sinamangal, Kathmandu, Nepal
DOI: https://doi.org/10.33314/jnhrc.v20i3.4407

Abstract

Background: Deficiency of vitamin-B12 is widespread. Adults and the elderly are particularly susceptible to vitamin-B12 deficiency. This study investigated the burden of vitamin-B12 deficiency and insufficiency among adults and the elderly attending a tertiary care hospital in Nepal.
Methods: This is a retrospective chart review conducted at Dhulikhel hospital. We reviewed records of 1615 patients investigating Vitamin-B12 level (pmol/L) at the clinical biochemistry laboratory from laboratory management database MIDAS between June 2020 and December 2021. Vitamin-B12 level was measured using enzyme immunoassay in Abbott Architect i1000SR analyzer. The categorical variables are presented as frequency and percentage; and numerical variables as  means and standard deviations, or median and Interquartile range.  Pearson Chi-square test was used to determine association between categorical variables.  Mann Whitney test and Kruskal Wallis H test were used to compare Vitamin-B12 level by categories.
Results: There were 1454 participants of which 33.5% of the patients were deficient, 27.9% were borderline deficient, while 38.7% had adequate vitamin B12 levels. Young adults(170.4 pmol/L) had a lower median vitamin B12 level than middle-aged adults (183.7pmol/L) and the elderly population (247.9pmol/L) (P<0.001). Compared to females (186.7 pmol/L), males(171.9 pmol/L) had lower vitamin B12 level (P <0.05).
Conclusions: The study revealed that a significant proportion of young adults, middle aged adults and elderly population visiting a tertiary care hospital of Nepal are having vitamin B12 deficiency and borderline deficiency of public health concern. 
Keywords: Adults; deficiency; elderly, vitamin B12.

Published
2023-03-10
How to Cite
GyawaliP., BhattR. D., KarmacharyaR. M., PantV., & KhadkaA. (2023). High Burden of Vitamin B12 Deficiency among Adults and Elderly. Journal of Nepal Health Research Council, 20(3), 702-707. https://doi.org/10.33314/jnhrc.v20i3.4407
Issue
Vol. 20 No. 3 (2022): Issue 56 july-Sep, 2022
Section
Original Article

Copyright (c) 2023 Pratiksha Gyawali, Rajendra Dev Bhatt, Robin Man Karmacharya, Vivek Pant, Ayesha Khadka

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