Vitamin B12 and vitamin B12 binding proteins in iron deficiency anaemia.

Vitamin B12 and vitamin B12 binding proteins were determined in 20 patients with iron deficiency anaemia who showed low haemoglobin, haematocrit, serum iron levels and hypochromic microcytic red blood cells. The serum vitamin B12 levels in these patients were significantly lower than that of the normal subjects. Nine of 20 patients had serum vitamin B12 less than 350 pg/ml. There was a significant increase in serum UBBC and TBBC levels in patient group and 9 of 20 patients had higher UBBC values than those of the normal subjects. The absolute values of TCI and TCII increased significantly while TCIII was within the normal limit even though the percentage of UBBC were not different from that of the normal subjects.