Risk Factors And Causes Of Pernicious Anemia

Lack Of Intrinsic Factor

Intrinsic factor is a protein in the stomach required for the body to extract vitamin B12 from food. The parietal cells in the stomach lining are responsible for producing this intrinsic factor and hydrochloric acid. In cases of pernicious anemia, the body will produce antibodies that target and destroy the parietal cells that produce intrinsic factor. In addition, an individual's body will also create intrinsic factor antibodies that target and attack any intrinsic factor produced via the parietal cells.

A general lack of intrinsic factor due to immune system attacks using these certain antibodies is considered pernicious anemia. The only way for a patient with no intrinsic factor to get sufficient amounts of vitamin B12 is through injections, since intrinsic factor is associated with problems that occur in the digestive tract. Because there is no functioning intrinsic factor in such patients, they will need continuous vitamin B12 replacement bypassing the digestive tract for the duration of their life. The reason for this is there is no way to cure these issues with the cells that produce intrinsic factor.

Type 1 Diabetes

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease characterized by the immune system targeting and attacking the beta cells of the pancreas that produce insulin. Insulin is a critical hormone that is important to the body because it is responsible for managing blood glucose. Insulin does this by allowing the glucose in the blood to be absorbed into cells so they can undergo normal metabolic processes to produce a usable form of energy.

Because the immune system is creating antibodies that are destroying cells of the pancreas that secrete insulin, it is likely the immune system would also produce another type of antibody following the same mechanism. This can likely be the one that would target and destroy intrinsic factor in the stomach and the cells that produce intrinsic factor. Pernicious anemia is ten times more common in individuals with type 1 diabetes than in individuals who do not have it. Although scientific reasons for this are not exactly clear, it seems to be related to the prevalence of co-occurring autoimmune disorders.