Abstract

Aim: To investigate the correlation of etiological factors with laboratory parameters in vitamin B12 deficient patients. Material and Method: Patients who were recorded as B12 defficiency at the first Internal Medicine outpatient clinic in Sanlıurfa Training and Research Hospital during 2012 were included. Their clinical findings and laboratory findings were assessed,retrospectively. Findings: The mean age of 367 patients were 38,71±17,682/years and %72 (n=265) of them were female. Mean vitamin B12 levels were146,99±32,642pg/ml. Half of the patients had a severe B12 defficiency (?150pg/ml). No statistical significance was found between the B12 levels; age,gender, drugs(proton pump inhibitors, metphormin) and peripheral blood parameters. Conclusions: Vitamin B defficiencyis a serious health problem at Sanlıurfa region. The examination of peripheral blood parameters of symptomaic patients is not enough to exclude vitamin B12 defficiency.