Pernicious Anemia According to USNLM (par. 1), “anemia is a condition in which the body does not have enough healthy red blood …show more content…
The existence of other diseases can affect an individual’s risk as well, such as the presence of Addison disease, chronic thyroiditis, Graves disease, hypoparathyroidism, hypopituitarism, myasthenia gravis, secondary amenorrhea, type 1 diabetes, testicular dysfunction, or vitiligo (USNLM pars. 2-3). Symptoms of the disorder can range from mild to moderate, and can include the desire to eat ice or non-food items, digestive issues (such as diarrhea or constipation), general fatigue or a lack of energy, increase ease of light-headedness, reduced appetite, pale skin, difficulty concentrating, shortness of breath, and bleeding gums or swollen areas in mouths. Basic exams and tests which are commonly done to confirm the presence of the disease may include a bone marrow examination, a complete blood count (CBC), a reticulocyte count, a Schilling test, an LDH level measurement, a methylmalonic acid (MMA) level measurement, a vitamin B12 level analysis, and measurements of levels of antibodies against intrinsic factor proteins or cells. The