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The vitamin B12 absorption test, CobaSorb, identifies patients not requiring vitamin B12 injection therapy
Anne-Mette Hvas1, Anne L Morkbak, Tore F Hardlei
1Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Aarhus University Hospital, Skejby, Denmark.
Background:
Treatment with vitamin B12 has virtually no side effects; however, life-long treatment is inconvenient for the patient and constitutes a cost for society.
Objective:
To investigate whether vitamin B12 injection treatment reflects the actual need for treatment or whether some patients are treated unnecessarily with vitamin B12 injections.
Material And Methods:
A prospective intervention study was conducted among nine general practitioners in Western Sealand County, Denmark. Forty-four patients older than 18 years who had received injection therapy with vitamin B12 for a median of eight years (range 1-26 years) were included. After discontinuation of vitamin B12 injections, blood samples were analysed monthly for hemoglobin, cobalamin, holotranscobalamin, homocysteine and methylmalonic acid. The capacity to absorb vitamin B12 was examined after a median of 13 months (range 5-32 months) by measurement of holotranscobalamin or cyanocobalamin on transcobalamin before and after 1 and 2 days intake of 3 × 9 μg of vitamin B12. Patients unable to absorb the vitamin continued treatment with vitamin B12 injection. The remaining patients participated in a follow-up study receiving 9 μg oral vitamin B12 daily or no vitamin B12 substitution.
Results:
Of the 44 patients studied, 35 patients were able to absorb vitamin B12. None of the patients included in the follow-up study showed biochemical signs of vitamin B12 deficiency by the end of the study.
Conclusion:
Our results suggest that the capacity for absorbing vitamin B12 should be examined prior to the choice of treatment.
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