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Centre for Policy on Ageing | |
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Vitamin B12 deficiency in the aged
— a population-based study | | Author(s) | Sala Loikas, Pertti Koskinen, Kerttu Irjala |
| Journal title | Age and Ageing, vol 36, no 2, March 2007 |
| Pages | pp 177-183 |
| Source | http://www.ageing.oupjournals.org |
| Keywords | Vitamins ; At risk ; Cross sectional surveys ; Finland. |
| Annotation | Vitamin B12 deficiency is common in older people, but it is controversial whether only some risk groups should be investigated instead of screening the entire population. A cross-sectional, population-based study of 1048 older people (aged 65-100) was carried out in Lieto, a rural district in southwest Finland. Data on lifestyle factors and clinical conditions were collected; physical examinations were conducted and laboratory variables related to vitamin B12 were measured. Vitamin B12 deficiency had been previously diagnosed in 27 (2.6%) subjects, and a laboratory diagnosis was made for 97 (9.5%) subjects. Low serum total vitamin B12 was observed in 6.1% and borderline total vitamin B12 in 32% of subjects. Male gender and refraining from milk products increased the probability for vitamin 12 deficiency. Anaemia or macrocytosis did not predict vitamin B12 deficiency. Thus, no specific risk group for vitamin B12 deficiency can be defined in older people. Routine screening should be directed at least to those aged 75+; and general practitioners (GPs) play a key role in diagnosing early vitamin B12 deficiency. (RH). |
| Accession Number | CPA-070503208 A |
| Classmark | CFE: CA3: 3KB: 76L |
Data © Centre for Policy on Ageing |
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| ...from the Ageinfo database published by Centre for Policy on Ageing. |
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