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. 1978 Apr;128(4):294–304.

The Laboratory Diagnosis of Megaloblastic Anemias

Ralph Carmel 1
PMCID: PMC1238100  PMID: 351964

Abstract

The diagnostic approach to megaloblastic anemia involves four usually sequential steps. The first step, recognition of megaloblastosis, requires attention to altered blood cell size and morphology. These changes may sometimes be subtle or masked. The cornerstone of the second step, identification of the specific vitamin deficiency, is assay of serum vitamin B12 and folic acid levels, although they may occasionally be misleading. The third step, identification of the specific disease entity responsible for the vitamin deficiency, generally revolves around tests of absorption and gastric function. The fourth step, reevaluation after replacement therapy, is often not thought of as a diagnostic step but carries important diagnostic implications and is sometimes the only way in which coexisting abnormalities can be unmasked and identified.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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