Urinary aminoimidazolecarboxamide (A IC), serum folate, and serum vitamin B12 values were determined in 84 apparently healthy individuals. An automated system for determination of AIC in urine is described. Despite claims to the contrary, we found no evidence of a strong relationship between elevated (e.g., >1.3 zg/mg of creatinine) AIC excretion as reflected in a casual sample of urine and fol...

An impaired awareness of hypoglycemia is a serious problem in diabetic patients, which can lead to life-threatening severe hypoglycemia. Recurrent hypoglycemia attenuates the function of the central, mainly hypothalamic, nervous system and it causes an impaired awareness of hypoglycemia. Vitamin B12 deficiency is also associated with the dysfunction of central nervous system. We report a 72-yea...

To fulfill the vitamin B12 requirement in chronic strict vegetarian or vegan fortified supplement foods are must essential as it is exclusive component of animal based food, potential neurohematological symptoms generally with anemia but could be the one without anemia in some rare cases of vitamin B12 deficiency status. This case report visualizes the common strict vegetarian neurological rela...

During three decades of neurological practice I have witnessed a remarkable change in attitudes to the benefits and risks of folic acid therapy in nervous system disorders. In the 1960s all that was known and taught was that folic acid was harmful to the nervous system, especially in precipitating or exacerbating the neurological complications of vitamin B12 deficiency. So deeply held was this ...

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and vitamin B12 deficiency share common inflammatory and neurodegenerative pathophysiological characteristics. Due to similarities in the clinical presentations and MRI findings, the differential diagnosis between vitamin B12 deficiency and MS may be difficult. Additionally, low or decreased levels of vitamin B12 have been demonstrated in MS patients. Moreover, recent st...

OBJECTIVES Many patients with vitamin B12 deficiency do not have anemia or macrocytosis, but the prevalence of B12 deficiency in patients without macrocytosis is not known. METHODS We investigated the prevalence of B12 deficiency among patients with normocytosis and microcytosis and recommended a screening strategy. All patients (n = 3714) with serum B12 measured at the Prince of Wales Hospit...

A 90-year-old woman with orthostatic hypotension and near-syncope was found to have a low-normal level of vitamin B(12) and no other medical findings that could explain her orthostasis. Her symptoms responded to vitamin B(12) replacement therapy. This case shows that vitamin B(12) deficiency can induce orthostatic hypotension and syncope that are correctable by vitamin B(12) replacement.

Herein we report that infection of a murine macrophage cell line with Bacillus anthracis results in the production of tumor necrosis factor alpha and interleukin-12 (IL-12). When infected with B. anthracis spores in combination with lipopolysaccharide, macrophages release increased amounts of IL-12. We found no evidence of inhibition of cytokine responses in macrophages infected with B. anthrac...

Vitamin B12 deficiency is one of the common conditions in the elderly population leading to confusion, depression, memory loss and balance problems. Unfortunately there is no gold standard test for the diagnosis of cobalamin deficiency and a wide range of variation in reference levels according to country, and laboratory assay used. This poses a problem in diagnosing this condition making it a ...

Oral vitamin B12 can provide an effective alternative to intramuscular injections, so giving patients a choice and reducing costs in primary care. This study investigated the effectiveness, safety, and acceptability of oral vitamin B12 as replacement therapy in patients with vitamin B12 deficiency in a city general practice population. Forty patients previously maintained on vitamin B12 injecti...