Clinicopathological features of megaloblastic anaemia in Hong Kong: a study of 84 Chinese patients

• Published in: Clinical and laboratory haematology 1998-08, Vol.20 (4), p.217-219
• Main Authors: AU, W. Y., HUI, C. H., CHAN, L. C., LIANG, R. H. S., KWONG, Y. L.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Anemia, Macrocytic - etiology; Anemia, Megaloblastic - epidemiology; Anemia, Megaloblastic - etiology; Anemia, Megaloblastic - pathology; Anemia, Pernicious - complications; Anemias. Hemoglobinopathies; Biological and medical sciences; China - ethnology; Diseases of red blood cells; Female; Hematologic and hematopoietic diseases; Hong Kong - epidemiology; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Megaloblastic anaemia; Middle Aged; Pancytopenia - etiology; Prevalence; Vitamin B 12 Deficiency - complications; vitamin B12 deficiency
• ISSN: 0141-9854; 1365-2257
• DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-2257.1998.00143.x

Megaloblastic anaemia is uncommon in Hong Kong. Eighty‐four consecutive Chinese patients with megaloblastic anaemia were studied. There were 48 males and 36 females, with a median age at presentation of 67 years. Vitamin B12 deficiency was found in all cases, with none of the patients showing folate deficiency. The frequency of pernicious anaemia in our patients was higher than in other south‐east Asian series but comparable with western ones. When compared with patients in the West, our cases showed the following main differences: virtual absence of folate deficiency, even in alcoholics; absence of associated gastric malignancies; and a high frequency of tuberculosis.