Week 4 Discussion: Peripheral Vascular Disorders
Chapter 10 Blood and Circulatory Disorder-Megaloblastic Anemia
Megaloblastic anemia is a blood disorder that manifests through larger than normal, immature and nucleated red blood cells. This type of anemia occurs due to a deficiency of folic acid and vitamin B12. The development of vitamin deficiencies is gradual. Pernicious anemia presents as the most common type of megaloblastic anemia which is results from vitamin B12 malabsorption following a lack of the intrinsic factor that is secreted in the gastric mucosa glands. Vitamin B12 deficiency mostly occurs as a result of autoimmune reactions and inflammatory disorders that, in turn, interfere with the absorption of the vitamin. It may also occur as a result of surgical procedures in which there is a resection of the ileum, which is the absorption site for vitamin B12. Megaloblastic anemia resulting from a deficiency of vitamin B12 manifests through neurologic effects, nausea, diarrhea and an enlarged red, sore and shiny tongue. Early diagnosis and treatment prevent cardiac distress and neurologic damage. The occurrence of vitamin B12 deficiency is widespread across the globe, and the incidence varies by race and socioeconomic factors. This paper is the review of an article that covers vitamin B12 deficiency among people with megaloblastic anemia.
Author, Year, Title, Journal
Authors: Safia Rahman, Naveed Sharif, Samiyah Rahman, Shams Suleman. Ambreen Gul and Muhmmmad Abbas
Year: 2019
Title: Vitamin B12 deficiency among patients with megaloblastic anemia.
Journal: J Med Sci
Purpose of the Article
This study was conducted to establish the frequency of vitamin B12 deficiency among patient with megaloblastic anemia in different age groups. This is because vitamin B12 deficiency is the most prevalent form of manifestation of megaloblastic anemia. The researchers also wanted to find out if there are significant changes in the occurrence of this blood disorder by age.
Discipline of the Literature Review
The literature review of this article was drawn from biological sciences. The discipline of biological sciences encompasses all the divisions of natural sciences including anatomy, cell biology and biochemistry; all of which are covered in the literature review of this article. Some of the areas covered that support this argument include the etiology of vitamin B12 deficiency, the daily required intake, functions of the vitamin, characteristics of the blood disorder and the epidemiology. Health conditions that may result from the disorder are also covered in the literature review of this article, information that can only be obtained from biological sciences.
Gaps and Issues
Vitamin B12 deficiency is a common occurrence, and its prevalence varies in different parts of the world. The rise in the number of cases is around 20% among adults over 60 years of age in the United States and the United Kingdom, calling for the need to assess its occurrence in different age groups. This deficiency may result in irreversible body changes and impair regular function owing to the function of vitamin B12 in the body. There is also a gap in the buildup of literature supporting this argument. Therefore, more research needs to be carried out to identify those at risk and help them seek timely medical interventions.
Design and Methods
A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out in a teaching hospital between January and June 2018. Informed consent was sought from probable study participants who met the inclusion criteria. Study subjects were then divided into different age groups, and data collection was done. A purposefully designed proforma was used to obtain the required information from the participants, and after that, data analysis was conducted using SPSS version 21.
Adequacy of the Sample, Size, and Setting
The study involved 84 participants, out of whom 54 were male and 30 were female. This sample size is limiting, and the results cannot be confidently generalized for the entire population. The characteristics of the participants differ significantly with reference to gender, and this may have had an impact on the results. The age range of one and 85 years presents a good representation of age groups. The study was also carried out in a single-centre, limiting the application of its findings over a large population. This is because vitamin B12 deficiency has previously been reported in groups of diverse geographical and ethnic origin.
Findings and Conclusions
All the study subjects had megaloblastic anemia. Of these study subjects, 60% had vitamin B12 deficiency, with 64% being male and 36% being female. From the age group of 16 to 30 years, 14 patients had vitamin B12 deficiency, and 16 patients in the 31 to 45 years and over 45 years age groups each had vitamin B12 deficiency. Therefore, most of the patients with vitamin B12 deficiency were from the older age groups. The causes of vitamin B12 deficiency in this setting was dietary inadequacy and parasitic infestations. From the findings, malabsorption of vitamin B12 is a contributing factor to the development of megaloblastic anemia. The differences in age and gender from this study are consistent with those of two other studies conducted in the past. The findings of this study confirm that the deficiency of vitamin B12 is a common irrespective of age and gender, and early screening is recommended even when symptoms are not present.
Implications for Future Research
Following the limitations in this study, similar studies in future should use a larger center as the research setting and bigger sample size is recommended to build a substantial inference. This will ensure that the findings of the studies are representative of the characteristics of a wider population since vitamin B12 deficiency has been reported in diverse geographical and ethnic groups. Future studies should also try to balance the participants in terms of gender to see if they obtain similar results.
Application to Advanced Nursing Practice
The findings of this study are applicable to advanced nursing practice as they indicate the need for early screening of vitamin B12 deficiency even in the absence of symptoms specific to the deficiency. The findings also indicate the need for nursing practitioners to cover this subject in their health education sessions so that more patients can be aware of its existence. The information also prompts nurses to look out for patients with cardiovascular and nervous system disorders to prevent their progression to irreversible health conditions where deficiency of vitamin B12 is involved.
Would You Recommend This Article?
I would highly recommend this article to other people to help them understand the relation between vitamin B12 deficiency and the development of megaloblastic anemia. The information addresses the areas that need to be covered to prevent the occurrence of the disorder. It also creates awareness on a topic that is not widely paid attention to.
Conclusion
Vitamin B12 deficiency is a common disorder. It affects people of all age groups, and there is a need for early screening to prevent the development of irreversible health conditions. Awareness needs to be created across the globe to ensure that it does not turn out as a public health concern.