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Spontaneous resolution of macrocytic anemia: old disease revisited

Authors Imashuku S, Kudo, Kaneda

Received 27 May 2012

Accepted for publication 4 July 2012

Published 2 August 2012 Volume 2012:3 Pages 45—47

DOI https://doi.org/10.2147/JBM.S34304

Checked for plagiarism Yes

Review by Single anonymous peer review

Peer reviewer comments 2



Shinsaku Imashuku, Naoko Kudo, Shigehiro Kaneda

Division of Hematology, Takasago-seibu Hospital, Takasago, Japan

Abstract: We report here on a 60-year-old male with alcohol-related macrocytic anemia. He was hospitalized on three occasions with hemoglobin < 9.0 g/dL and mean corpuscular volume > 130 fL. Careful history taking and observation of his blood status led us to make a correct diagnosis. At the time of each of his admissions, only with bed rest and abstinence from alcohol did our patient dramatically show spontaneous recovery of anemia in association with a rapid decline of serum γ-glutamyl transpeptidase values. It is well recognized that marrow abnormalities in alcoholic patients are reversible. Physicians should be aware that there is a subset of patients with macrocytic anemia that could be improved without medication.

Keywords: macrocytic anemia, alcohol, spontaneous resolution, γ-glutamyl transpeptidase

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