Effect of Vitamin B12 Level on Multiple Myeloma Clinic

Objective: The aim of our study is evaluate the association between serum vitB12 levels at time of diagnosis and clinical and laboratory signs in multiple myeloma patients.

Material and Methods: Patients were divided into two groups; those had low and normal levels of vitB12. Groups were analized by using independent simple T, Mann Whitney U and chi-square tests considering by distrubition characteristics of data.

Results: Two hundred-and-twelve patients' records were examined retrospectively. Forty-one (32%) patients had low vitB12 levels. In patients with low vit B12 levels, bone marrow plasma cell ratios were also significantly lower than those found normal vit B12 levels (median %30 vs %50, respectively) (p: 0,024). There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in terms of age, lytic bone lesion numbers, and serum levels of total protein, lactate dehydrogenase, ß2-microglobulin, calcium, creatinin, albumin. However, 11 patients (%26,8) in low vitB12 group had anemia, while 44 (%50,5) patients in normal vitB12 group had. So, anemia was more often in vitamin B12 normal group patients (p: 0,019). No difference was found in terms of myeloma ISS and R-ISS stages in two patient groups.

Conclusions: Bone marrow median plasma cell ratio was also low in the group with low vit B12 levels. Our data could not show its clinical reflection. Further studies with larger groups are required to evaluate the response to treatment, survival and recurrence rate.