Clinical Assessment and Common Symptoms

Clinical Assesment

Pathway of Care, Vitamin B12 Deficiency with Neuro-Psychiatric symptoms provides Guidelines (Diagnostic Tool, Clinical Guidelines and Treatment regime. Appendix 1) to clinically diagnose this condition largely based on evaluating the following criteria:-

Presenting :-

  • Symptoms
  • Signs.
  • Clinical Features.
  • Other Auto-Immune Conditions.
  • Strong Family History.
  • B12 Assay Result Below<300mg/l.
  • Clinical Response to therapeutic trial.

Symptoms of B12 deficiency

The common symptoms of subjects in the study population of Shinwell Medical Centre were analysed and the occurrence in the order of frequency is shown below. Tiredness, lethargy and depression are the most common symptoms of presentation.

Symptoms Male Female Total
Tiredness 28 155 183
Lethargy 31 125 156
Depression 15 114 129
Dizzy (Faints) 16 99 115
Sleepy 17 66 83
Hair Loss 3 79 82
Pins and Needles 7 75 82
Headache 8 49 57
Loss of Memory 5 27 32
Gastric 6 22 28