DIAGNOSIS OF VITAMIN B12 DEFICIENCY IN CHILDREN BY USING METHYLMALONIC ACID, HOMOCYSTEINE AND HOLOTRANSCOBALAMINE

Abstract

Objective: Vitamin B12 deficiency is a common health issue in children. Though the sensivity of serum vitamin B12 measurement for the diagnosis of vitamin B12 deficiency is low, combined methylmalonic acid, homocysteine and holotranscobalamin have been reported to be more specific biomarkers in early and accurate diagnosis. In this study, we aimed to verify the diagnosis of vitamin B12 deficiency in children by measuring methylmalonic acid, homocysteine, holotranscobalamin and to determine the accuracy of them. Material and Methods: The study included 277 patients aged