A Study of Clinical Profile of Vitamin B(12) Deficiency with Special Reference to Dermatologic Manifestations in a Tertiary Care Hospital in Sub-Himalayan Bengal

BACKGROUND: Vitamin B(12) deficiency is thought to be uncommon in the eastern parts of India including Bengal and the eastern states as compared to the northern and southern parts of India. The importance of cutaneous features in relation to vitamin B(12) deficiency is not well described in literature. AIM: To know the clinical profile of vitamin B(12) deficiency in this region and to find out if there is any relationship between dermatologic manifestations with vitamin B(12) deficiency. MATERIALS AND METHODS: All symptomatic patients of anemia requiring blood transfusions who had either raised mean corpuscular volume (MCV) or bicytopenia/pancytopenia on complete blood count or were symptomatic in the form of skin hyperpigmentation were screened for vitamin B(12) deficiency. RESULTS: Twenty-five patients were tested for vitamin B(12) deficiency. Of them 19 patients were found to be having vitamin B(12) deficiency. CONCLUSIONS: Vitamin B(12) deficiency is not uncommon in the eastern parts of India, contrasting the previous thoughts that it was uncommon in this area, though larger studies are required to know it better. This study included only those requiring blood transfusions, thus a much higher prevalence is expected in this area. Patients with vitamin B(12) deficiency do present with severe anemia requiring blood transfusions and often have skin hyperpigmentation.