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Useful for:
- Investigating patients suspected of having pernicious anemia or an immune-mediated deficiency of vitamin B12 with or without megaloblastic anaemia.
Clinical Information:
- Autoimmune Chronic Atrophic Gastritis causes the immune-mediated destruction of gastric parietal cells. The loss of these cells can result in a Vitamin B12 deficiency, leading to megaloblastic anaemia, and/or an iron deficiency, leading to iorn deficiency anaemia.
- The iron deficiency associated associated with Autoimmune Chronic Atrophic Gastritis is termed Pernicious Anaemia and is generally associated with the end-stage of the disease.
- The autoantibodies associated with Pernicious Anaemia are Parietal Cell Antibodies (PCA) and Intrinsic Factor Antibodies (IFA).
- A diagnosis of Pernicious Anaemia requires that the presence of macrocytic anemia is demonstrated in assosciation with vitamin B12 deficiency and positive autoantibody serology.
- Parietal Cell Antibodies ae found in approximately 80% of patients with Autoimmune Atrophic Gastritis and Pernicious Anaemia.
Please Note:
- As the substrate (Nova Lite Rat, Liver, Kidney, Stomach Substrate Slides) in this assay is also used for the detection of Mitochondrial Antibodies, Smooth Muscle Antibodies and Liver/Kidney Microsome Antibodies, all requests for Parietal Cell Antibodies (PCAs) also have Mitochondrial Antibodies, Smooth Muscle Antibodies and Liver/Kidney Microsome Antibodies requested.
- Where External Institiutions cannot guarantee immediate delivery, samples must be centrifuged, separated and stored at 4oC. Samples can then be transported, as soon as possible, to St. James's Hospital for processing.
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