Drug Ther Bull. 2009 Feb;47(2):19-21. doi: 10.1136/dtb.2009.01.0002.
Vitamin B(12) deficiency is common, becoming more so with age, and estimates of its population prevalence have ranged from 1.5% to 15%. If untreated, it can lead to megaloblastic anaemia and irreversible neurological complications. In the UK, the usual treatment is regular intramuscular injections of hydroxocobalamin. High-dose oral vitamin B(12) replacement is standard practice in some other countries and less costly. Here we review issues around adopting an oral vitamin B(12) replacement regimen more widely in the UK.
维生素B12缺乏症很常见，且随着年龄增长愈发普遍，据估计其在人群中的患病率在1.5%至15%之间。若不治疗，它会导致巨幼细胞贫血和不可逆的神经并发症。在英国，通常的治疗方法是定期肌肉注射羟钴胺素。高剂量口服维生素B12替代疗法在其他一些国家是标准做法，且成本更低。在此，我们综述了在英国更广泛采用口服维生素B12替代方案相关的问题。
