Anemia Pernicious

Description: Pernicious anemia (or pernicious anemia - also known as Biermer's anemia, Addison's anemia, or Addison–Biermer anemia) is one of many types of the larger family of megaloblastic anemias. It is caused by loss of gastric parietal cells, and subsequent inability to absorb vitamin B₁₂.
Usually seated in an atrophic gastritis, the autoimmune destruction of gastric parietal cells leads to a lack of intrinsic factor. Since the absorption from the gut of normal dietary amounts of vitamin B₁₂ is dependent on intrinsic factor, the loss of intrinsic factor leads to vitamin B₁₂ deficiency. While the term 'pernicious anemia' is sometimes also incorrectly used to indicate megaloblastic anemia due to any cause of vitamin B₁₂ deficiency, its proper usage refers to that caused by atrophic gastritis, parietal cell loss, and lack of intrinsic factor only.
The loss of ability to absorb vitamin B₁₂ is the most common cause of adult vitamin B₁₂ deficiency. Such a loss may be due to pernicious anemia (with loss of intrinsic factor) or to a number of other conditions which decrease production of gastric acid, which also plays a part in absorption of vitamin B₁₂ from foods.
Historically, pernicious anemia (PA) was generally detected only after it became "clinical" (caused an overt disease state) and the anemia was well-established, i.e. liver stores of B₁₂ had been depleted. The "pernicious" aspects of the disease were peripheral nerve damage and - prior to the discovery of treatment - a prognosis as poor and certain as that of leukemia before it could be treated. However, in the time since elucidation of the cause of the disease, modern tests which specifically target B₁₂ absorption can be used to diagnose the disease before it becomes clinically apparent. In such cases, the disease may be diagnosed and treated without the patient ever becoming ill.
Replacement of vitamin stores does not correct the defect in absorption from loss of intrinsic factor, that technically defines the disease. A person who has pernicious anemia defined by inability to absorb vitamin B₁₂ in this way, will have it for the remainder of his or her life. However, unless the patient has sustained permanent peripheral nerve damage before treatment, regular B₁₂ replacement will keep pernicious anemia in check, with no further damage.
Suggested Medicines:

Ars album.
T.N.T.
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