From the Guidelines
Pernicious anemia is caused by autoimmune gastritis, which leads to a deficiency in vitamin B-12 and results in macrocytic anemia.
Key Factors
- Autoimmune gastritis: a condition where the immune system attacks the stomach lining, leading to atrophy of the gastric mucosa and a decrease in the production of intrinsic factor, a protein necessary for vitamin B-12 absorption 1.
- Vitamin B-12 deficiency: a crucial factor in the development of pernicious anemia, as vitamin B-12 is essential for the production of red blood cells and the maintenance of the nervous system.
- Macrocytic anemia: a type of anemia characterized by large red blood cells, which is a hallmark of pernicious anemia. It is essential to diagnose and manage pernicious anemia promptly to prevent long-term complications, such as neurological damage and increased risk of gastric cancer 1.
From the Research
Causes of Pernicious Anemia
- Pernicious anemia is caused by a lack of intrinsic factor, which is essential for vitamin B12 absorption in the terminal ileum 2, 3.
- The condition is based on autoimmune chronic atrophic gastritis, which leads to the destruction of parietal cells and a deficiency in intrinsic factor 2, 4.
- The destruction of parietal cells causes a deficiency in intrinsic factor, resulting in vitamin B12 deficiency 2.
- Pernicious anemia is linked to but different from autoimmune gastritis, and it occurs in a later stage of autoimmune atrophic gastritis when gastric intrinsic factor deficiency and consequent vitamin B12 deficiency may occur 5.
Underlying Factors
- Autoimmune disorders, such as autoimmune atrophic gastritis, play a role in the development of pernicious anemia 6, 4.
- The presence of anti-intrinsic factor antibodies and parietal cell antibodies is characteristic of pernicious anemia 6, 4.
- H. pylori infection may also be involved in the development of pernicious anemia 2.