Evaluation of Vitamin B_12 Deficiency in Patients with Dizziness Complaints

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Objective: The aim of study was to compare vitamin B_12 levels of the patients who applied to internal medicine outpatient department for the first time with complaints of dizziness and the control group. The role of vitamin B_12 in patients with the complaint dizziness was investigated. Materials and Methods: A hundred and sixty patients with the complaint of dizziness who applied to our internal medicine outpatient department for the first time and 120 patients who applied to Ordu University Faculty of Medicine Training and Research Hospital Internal Medicine clinic were included to the study. Age, gender, vitamin B_12 , folic acid, ferritin, hemoglobin, white blood cell (WBC) and mean corpuscular volume (MCV) values were recorded from the file records of the patients who applied to clinic. Patient data of both groups were compared statistically. Results: The mean vitamin B_12 level of the patient group was 241.15±122.18 pg/mL and the mean vitamin B_12 level of the control group was 381.08±125.17 pg/mL. The mean vitamin B_12 level of the patient group was lower than the control group and this difference was statistically significant (P 0.001). Mean hemoglobin values, mean ferritin values and mean MCV values of the patient group were also significant in comparison with the control group (respectively P=0.01, P=0.004, P 0.001). However, there was no significant difference in mean folic acid levels between the groups (P=0.09). Conclusion: Low vitamin B_12 level plays a role in the aetiology of dizziness. In patients who apply to the clinic with the complaint of dizziness level of vitamin B_12 should be measured and in case of deficiency adequate replacement would cause a decrease in complaints of the patients.

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Dizziness , vitamin B_12 deficiency , internal medicine

Fırat University Medical Journal Of Health Sciences

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Fırat University Medical Journal Of Health Sciences