[Iron deficiency and pernicious anemia: a rare association?]

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of iron deficiency among patients with pernicious anemia. We realized a retrospective study from 2000 to 2010 including 55 patients suffering from pernicious anemia who were followed in Reims and Strasbourg university hospitals. Inclusion criteria were histological diagnosis of immune atrophic fundic gastritis and criteria of gastric autoimmuninty, and for which ferritin was measured. Iron deficiency is defined as serum ferritin level <20 μg/L in women and <30 μg/L in men. 45 (81.8%) patients were female. The mean age was 61 ± 17 years (range: 25/98).There was anemia in 32 patients (58.2%). Macrocytosis was noted, with or without anemia, in 30 patients (54.5%); microcytosis, with or without anemia, was noted in 8 (14.5%) patients. 17 patients (30.9%) had normal mean corpuscular volume. Vitamin B12 deficiency was objectived in 42 patients (76.4%) in our series. 16 patients (29%) had iron deficiency. 14 patients were female. They were significantly younger than female subjects without iron deficiency (p =0.004). In conclusion, iron deficiency is not rare in patients with pernicious anemia. It could be a complication of achlorhydria. We suggest a dosage of serum ferritin for all patients with pernicious anemia.