Pernicious anemia is still a neglected disorder in many medical contexts and is underdiagnosed in many patients.
Pernicious anemia is linked to but different from autoimmune
gastritis.
Pernicious anemia occurs in a later stage of autoimmune
atrophic gastritis when gastric
intrinsic factor deficiency and consequent
vitamin B12 deficiency may occur. The multifaceted nature of
pernicious anemia is related to the important role of
cobalamin, which, when deficient, may lead to several dysfunctions, and thus, the proteiform clinical presentations of
pernicious anemia. Indeed,
pernicious anemia may lead to potentially serious long-term complications related to
micronutrient deficiencies and their consequences and the development of
gastric cancer and type 1 gastric
neuroendocrine tumors. When not recognized in a timely manner or when
pernicious anemia is diagnosed with delay, these complications may be potentially life-threatening and sometimes irreversible. The current review aimed to focus on epidemiology, pathogenesis, and clinical presentations of
pernicious anemia in an attempt to look beyond borders of medical specialties. It aimed to focus on
micronutrient deficiencies besides the well-known
vitamin B12 deficiency, the diagnostic approach for
pernicious anemia, its long-term complications and optimal clinical management, and endoscopic surveillance of patients with
pernicious anemia.