Falsely Elevated Serum Vitamin B12 Levels Were Associated with the Severity and Prognosis of Chronic Viral Liver Disease.

Vitamin B12 is stored primarily in the liver, and highly elevated serum vitamin B12 levels occur in acute hepatitis and severe alcoholic liver disease. We evaluated the relationship between vitamin B12 levels and liver disease severity and long term prognosis in patients with chronic viral hepatitis and cirrhosis. We enrolled 90 patients (57 men, 33 women) with chronic viral hepatitis and cirrhosis who admitted to our hospital as a prospective cohort study. Overall, 37 patients had chronic hepatitis and 53 had cirrhosis (Child-Pugh A 33, B 13, and C 7); 57 patients had primary liver cancer. Serum vitamin B12 concentration and holotranscobalamin (holoTC) II (active form of vitamin B12) were determined and followed prospectively for at least 5 years. Mean total serum vitamin B12 concentration was significantly higher in Child-Pugh C (1308 ± 599 pg/mL) compared to those with chronic hepatitis (655 ± 551 pg/mL), Child-Pugh A (784 ± 559 pg/mL), and Child-Pugh B (660 ± 464 pg/mL) (P = 0.036) Presence of primary liver cancer also influenced serum vitamin B12 levels [657 (167-2956) vs. 432 (189-2956); P = 0.015]. Patients were divided into quartiles by vitamin B12 level. Patients without primary liver cancer in quartile 4 (≥ 880 pg/mL) demonstrated significantly poorer prognosis than those in quartiles 1-3 (< 880 pg/mL) (P = 0.023). The percentage of holohaptocorrin (holoHC) [(total vitamin B12 - holoTC II) × 100] was significantly higher in Child-Pugh B and C 86 (80-87)% than chronic hepatitis and Child-Pugh A 77 (31-89)% (P = 0.006) Multivariate analysis indicated serum vitamin B12 levels (HR = 1.001, P = 0.029) as a prognostic factor. Falsely elevated serum vitamin B12 levels mainly composed of increased holoHC were associated with severity (Child-Pugh C and primary liver cancer) and prognosis in chronic viral liver disease.

Citation

Takaaki Sugihara, Masahiko Koda, Toshiaki Okamoto, Kenichi Miyoshi, Tomomitsu Matono, Kenji Oyama, Keiko Hosho, Jun-Ichi Okano, Hajime Isomoto, Yoshikazu Murawaki. Falsely Elevated Serum Vitamin B12 Levels Were Associated with the Severity and Prognosis of Chronic Viral Liver Disease. Yonago acta medica. 2017 Mar;60(1):31-39

PMID: 28331419

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