Evaluation of Vitamin B12 and Folate Levels in Megaloblastic Anaemia

Vitamin B12 and folate deficiency is a well-known health problem. Deficiencies of folic acid and vitamin B12 are known to cause megaloblastic anaemia which is characterised by presence of abnormally large erythrocyte precursor cells megaloblasts in the bone marrow and macrocytic red cells in the peripheral blood. The study aimed to determine vitamin B12 and folate levels in megaloblastic anaemia diagnosed morphologically in patients at the University Teaching. This was a case control study which was undertaken at the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) in Lusaka Zambia. The results showed megaloblastic anaemia participants had statistically significant lower median vitamin B12 concentration 175(10-812)pg/ml than non-anaemic control participants 299.5(114-897) pg/ml p=0.0001. Megaloblastic anaemia participants also had a statistically significant lower folate concentration (12.32± 2.28 ng/ml) than non-anaemic control participants (19.28 ± 2.84 ng/ml)p=0.029. The study showed that majority of patients with megaloblastic anaemia diagnosed morphologically at the University Teaching Hospital have a deficiency of vitamin B12 deficiency.