RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Severe megaloblastic anemia: Vitamin deficiency and other causes
JF Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine
JO Cleve Clin J Med
FD Cleveland Clinic
SP 153
OP 164
DO 10.3949/ccjm.87a.19072
VO 87
IS 3
A1 Socha, Daniel S.
A1 DeSouza, Sherwin I.
A1 Flagg, Aron
A1 Sekeres, Mikkael
A1 Rogers, Heesun J.
YR 2020
UL http://www.ccjm.org/content/87/3/153.abstract
AB Megaloblastic anemia causes macrocytic anemia from ineffective red blood cell production and intramedullary hemolysis. The most common causes are folate (vitamin B9) deficiency and cobalamin (vitamin B12) deficiency. Megaloblastic anemia can be diagnosed based on characteristic morphologic and laboratory findings. However, other benign and neoplastic diseases need to be considered, particularly in severe cases. Therapy involves treating the underlying cause—eg, with vitamin supplementation in cases of deficiency, or with discontinuation of a suspected medication.