The Epidemiology of Deficiency of Vitamin B12 in Preschool Children in Turkey
<i>Background</i>: Vitamin B12 is a water-soluble vitamin with important cellular functions; it 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 seven (preschoo...
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MDPI AG
2023-10-01
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| Series: | Medicina |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1648-9144/59/10/1809 |
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| author | Yusuf Elgormus Omer Okuyan Seyma Dumur Ugurcan Sayili Hafize Uzun |
| author_facet | Yusuf Elgormus Omer Okuyan Seyma Dumur Ugurcan Sayili Hafize Uzun |
| author_sort | Yusuf Elgormus |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <i>Background</i>: Vitamin B12 is a water-soluble vitamin with important cellular functions; it 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 seven (preschool children) and the risk factors affecting them. <i>Methods</i>: One hundred pediatric patients aged 6–72 months who were diagnosed with vitamin B12 deficiency and their parents who agreed to attend Istanbul Atlas University, Medical Faculty, “Medicine Hospital” Pediatric Clinic between September 2022 and June 2023 were prospectively included in this study. <i>Results</i>: B12 deficiency was significantly higher in the 6–11 (25%)-month group than 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. <i>Conclusions</i>: The results obtained in this study showed that low vitamin B12 and increased homocysteine levels seem to be important risk factors in preschool children, especially from the 6th month when they start consuming additional foods. The diagnosis of B12 deficiency can be confirmed by elevated serum total homocysteine levels, which are evidence of functional cobalamin deficiency. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T21:04:50Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-944e329f681f4e60b3f879d191ca40be |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1010-660X 1648-9144 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T21:04:50Z |
| publishDate | 2023-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Medicina |
| spelling | doaj.art-944e329f681f4e60b3f879d191ca40be2023-11-19T17:17:34ZengMDPI AGMedicina1010-660X1648-91442023-10-015910180910.3390/medicina59101809The Epidemiology of Deficiency of Vitamin B12 in Preschool Children in TurkeyYusuf Elgormus0Omer Okuyan1Seyma Dumur2Ugurcan Sayili3Hafize Uzun4Department of Pediatrics, Medicine Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul Atlas University, 34403 Istanbul, TurkeyDepartment of Pediatrics, Medicine Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul Atlas University, 34403 Istanbul, TurkeyDepartment of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul Atlas University, 34403 Istanbul, TurkeyDepartment of Public Health, Cerrahpasa Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa, 34320 Istanbul, TurkeyDepartment of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul Atlas University, 34403 Istanbul, Turkey<i>Background</i>: Vitamin B12 is a water-soluble vitamin with important cellular functions; it 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 seven (preschool children) and the risk factors affecting them. <i>Methods</i>: One hundred pediatric patients aged 6–72 months who were diagnosed with vitamin B12 deficiency and their parents who agreed to attend Istanbul Atlas University, Medical Faculty, “Medicine Hospital” Pediatric Clinic between September 2022 and June 2023 were prospectively included in this study. <i>Results</i>: B12 deficiency was significantly higher in the 6–11 (25%)-month group than 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. <i>Conclusions</i>: The results obtained in this study showed that low vitamin B12 and increased homocysteine levels seem to be important risk factors in preschool children, especially from the 6th month when they start consuming additional foods. The diagnosis of B12 deficiency can be confirmed by elevated serum total homocysteine levels, which are evidence of functional cobalamin deficiency.https://www.mdpi.com/1648-9144/59/10/1809childrenrisk factorsvitamin B12homocysteinefolic acidferritin |
| spellingShingle | Yusuf Elgormus Omer Okuyan Seyma Dumur Ugurcan Sayili Hafize Uzun The Epidemiology of Deficiency of Vitamin B12 in Preschool Children in Turkey Medicina children risk factors vitamin B12 homocysteine folic acid ferritin |
| title | The Epidemiology of Deficiency of Vitamin B12 in Preschool Children in Turkey |
| title_full | The Epidemiology of Deficiency of Vitamin B12 in Preschool Children in Turkey |
| title_fullStr | The Epidemiology of Deficiency of Vitamin B12 in Preschool Children in Turkey |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Epidemiology of Deficiency of Vitamin B12 in Preschool Children in Turkey |
| title_short | The Epidemiology of Deficiency of Vitamin B12 in Preschool Children in Turkey |
| title_sort | epidemiology of deficiency of vitamin b12 in preschool children in turkey |
| topic | children risk factors vitamin B12 homocysteine folic acid ferritin |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1648-9144/59/10/1809 |
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