AI Article Synopsis
- No practical tests for vitamin B12 deficiency exist that are non-invasive and accessible, especially in rural areas, prompting examination of Karanth's test in a pilot study.
- The study involved 83 patients at a tertiary teaching hospital and compared skin tone measurements to blood serum vitamin B12 levels, finding significant differences, particularly in patients with deficiencies.
- Results indicated the Karanth's test has a sensitivity of 80% and specificity of 84.1%, suggesting it could be a valuable screening tool for vitamin B12 deficiency.
Article Abstract
Background: No practical tests are currently available for screening vitamin B12 deficiency because the available techniques are invasive, expensive, and require a particular level of infrastructure and service that is not available in all places such as rural areas. Thus, we have examined the efficacy of a novel method (Karanth's test) for identifying people with vitamin B12 deficiency as part of a pilot study.
Methods: An observer-blind study was conducted on 83 consenting patients from a tertiary teaching hospital whose blood was drawn for estimation of serum vitamin B12 over a 2-month period. All of these patients completed the study. In the Karanth's test, the skin color tone is measured at the interphalangeal joint and the phalanx using the Von Luschan skin tone chart. The test result is obtained from differences in the values obtained. This test was performed on the day blood was drawn to measure the serum vitamin B12 levels in the study patients and on every day until discharge for patients tested to be deficient.
Results: Of the 83 patient subjects, 20 showed deficient vitamin B12 levels in the blood test. The Karanth's test readings were significantly different for patients with normal and deficient levels of vitamin B12 (95 % CI, 0.838-2.153). ROC curve analysis suggested that a difference greater than 1.5 should be considered positive. The sensitivity and specificity of the test were determined to be 80 and 84.1 %, respectively. Patients were grouped further according to the Fitzpatrick scale. There were no type I, II or III patients and insufficient IV cases to determine sensitivity and specificity. Sensitivity and specificity were determined to be 57.1 and 94.6 % in type V and 92 and 63.6 % in type VI, respectively. We found that 87 % of our patients who tested positive had normal values on discharge.
Conclusion: The Karanth's test is a useful screen for a vitamin B12 deficiency and warrants further evaluation in a larger study population.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
|---|---|
| http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4677048 | PMC |
| http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s13104-015-1744-1 | DOI Listing |
Publication Analysis
Top Keywords
Similar Publications
Background: Identifying individuals' levels of tau PET pathology could prove to be beneficial in clinical settings, given that emerging therapies aimed reducing Aβ seem to be most effective in these individuals. Here, we present the cases of four patients who visited the memory clinic at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center between June and December 2023 and underwent both Aβ and tau-PET scans.
Method: These individuals had standard clinical and cognitive outcomes, typical blood tests order in patients with memory impairment, MRI, and, as part of the HEAD study, PET PIB Aβ and two tau PET tracers (MK6240 and Flortaucipir).
Public Health.
Alzheimers Dement
December 2024
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA.
Background: By 2060, an estimated 3.5 million Latinos may develop Alzheimer's disease (AD). Lifestyle factors, such as adhering to the Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND) diet, may improve cognition and reduce AD risk.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: This study utilizes transformer-based machine learning models and explainable AI (XAI) techniques to investigate the complex relationship between various nutritional factors and AD mortality. Drawing data from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III 1988 to 1994) and the NHANES III Mortality-Linked File (2019), it aims to dissect the multifaceted interactions between nutrition and AD.
Method: The study employs advanced transformer models alongside traditional machine learning methods like random forests and support vector machines.
Background: The prevalence of dementia in populations that are underrepresented in research is projected to increase with population aging. Latino and Black individuals, the largest underrepresented populations in the US, experience a higher dementia burden than non-Hispanic White individuals, which is not explained by ethnoracial biological factors. Disparities in structural and social determinants of health may contribute to the preponderance of medical conditions known to increase dementia risk, including potentially modifiable factors in Latino and Black communities.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBiomarkers.
Alzheimers Dement
December 2024
Department of Geriatrics and Gerontology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
Background: The mean corpuscular volume (MCV) is a common parameter in routine blood tests. Larger MCV tends to be more fragile and pose challenges in passing through capillaries, leading to a diminished capacity for oxygen and nutrient supply to the brain thus impacting cognitive function. Limited studies have explored the association between MCV and cognitive impairment with inconsistent results.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWant AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?
Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!