Low vitamin B12 level in relation to trace element, total sialic acid and antioxidant enzymes in children with vitamin B12 deficiency anemia

In this study, children with vitamin B-12 deficiency anemia (V-B(12)DA) and control subjects were evaluated for erythrocyte glutathione peroxidase, catalase and superoxide dismutase enzyme activities, glutathione, malondialdehyde, serum total sialic acid, total antioxidant status, cobalt, chromium, copper, selenium, vanadium, zinc, iron, lead, magnesium, calcium, sodium, potassium, chloride, phosphorus levels, and the associations of these variables were assessed. The study included 50 children with V-B(12)DA and 50 control subjects. It was found that the V-B(12)DA group was significantly lower than the control group, with regard to the mean +/- the standard error of the mean levels of cobalt (0.089 +/- 0.009; 0.058 +/- 0.0063 mu mol/L, p<0.01), selenium (2.19 +/- 0.087; 1.88 +/- 0.057 mu mol/L, p<0.01), vanadium (1.31 +/- 0.053; 1.18 +/- 0.035 mu mol/L, p<0.05), magnesium (3.02 +/- 0.15; 2.73 +/- 0.068 mu mol/L, p<0.05), zinc (50.76 +/- 1.96; 42.23 +/- 1.53 mu mol/L, p<0.001), and vitamin B-12 (427.20 +/- 21.45; 157.08 +/- 3.96 pg/mL, p<0.001). Moreover, a significant elevation in total sialic acid (1.44 +/- 0.050; 1.61 +/- 0.043 mmol/L, p<0.01), and mean corpuscular volume (MCV) (75.37 +/- 0.95; 79.91 +/- 1.14 fL, p<0.01). It was observed that in the V-B(12)DA, significantly linear correlations were observed between cobalt - vitamin B-12 (r=0.334; p=0.025), vanadium - MCV (r=0.315; p=0.017), vitamin B-12 - MCV (r=-0.297; p=0.026). The findings of the study indicated that the levels of cobalt, vanadium significantly associated with traditional vitamin B(12-)deficiency parameters. Vitamin B-12 and MCV should be measured together with cobalt, vanadium for monitoring the vitamin B-12 deficiency anemia.