Elgormus, Y.; Okuyan, O.; Dumur, S.; Sayili, U.; Uzun, H. The Epidemiology of Deficiency of Vitamin B12 in Preschool Children in Turkey. Medicina2023, 59, 1809.
Elgormus, Y.; Okuyan, O.; Dumur, S.; Sayili, U.; Uzun, H. The Epidemiology of Deficiency of Vitamin B12 in Preschool Children in Turkey. Medicina 2023, 59, 1809.
Elgormus, Y.; Okuyan, O.; Dumur, S.; Sayili, U.; Uzun, H. The Epidemiology of Deficiency of Vitamin B12 in Preschool Children in Turkey. Medicina2023, 59, 1809.
Elgormus, Y.; Okuyan, O.; Dumur, S.; Sayili, U.; Uzun, H. The Epidemiology of Deficiency of Vitamin B12 in Preschool Children in Turkey. Medicina 2023, 59, 1809.
Abstract
Background: Vitamin B12 is a water-soluble vitamin with important cellular functions and is an essential vitamin. The aim of this study is to determine the B12 levels of children in the period from the 6th month when they start taking additional foods to the age of 7 and the risk factors affecting them. Methods: One hundred pediatric patients aged 6-72 months who were diagnosed with vitamin B12 deficiency and their parents who agreed to participate in Istanbul Atlas University, Medical Faculty, “Medicine Hospital” Pediatric Clinic between September 2022 and June 2023 were prospectively included in this study. Results: B12 deficiency was significantly higher in the 6-11 (25%) month group than those in the 12-23 (5.8%) and 24-47 (2.8%) month groups. Homocysteine levels were highest in those with insufficient B12 levels compared to the other groups. There was no statistically significant difference in weekly dairy and meat consumption levels between age groups. B12 levels were lower in the 6-11-month group than in the other groups. Homocysteine levels were highest in those with insufficient B12 levels [<200 pg/mL (148 pmol/L)]. Folic acid levels were lower in the 24-47 month and 48-72 month groups than in the 6-11 month and 12-23 month groups. Conclusions: The results obtained in this study showed that low vitamin B12 and increased homocysteine levels seem to be important risk factors in children, especially from the 6th month when they start taking additional foods. The diagnosis of B12 deficiency can be confirmed by elevated serum total homocysteine levels, which are evidence of functional cobalamin deficiency.
Medicine and Pharmacology, Medicine and Pharmacology
Copyright:
This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
