Morbidity of Pernicious Anaemia

On the basis of questionnaires distributed to 124 doctors and eight hospitals in the County of Odense (265,000 inhabitants), Denmark, the frequency of pernicious anaemia in the area has been calculated at September 15, 1967. There were 334 patients (224 females and 110 males) treated at this date. The prevalence was 1.3% (1.7% in females and 0.8% in males). In 60% of the patients the diagnosis was made during a stay in hospital and in 20% by examination in a central laboratory or by a specialist. The prevalence is found to be highest in the older age groups, and within these groups there has been a heavy increase over the figures found during a similar survey in 1950 within the same area. The incidence has risen from 8.9 to 9.5 per 100,000 inhabitants since 1950; and, assuming the same distribution of patients with pernicious anaemia in the entire country as in the County of Odense, it can be estimated that every year 400–450 new cases of the disease will be diagnosed and that over the whole of Denmark 6000 patients are being treated. Eighty per cent of the patients are treated with hydroxocobemin (Vibeden) and cyanocobalamin‐tannine complex (Betolvex). Forty per cent of the patients receive more than the recommended dose. The sale of vitamin B12 preparations within the County in 1966 is, however, about three times as high as the quantity which is actually used for treating the patients with pernicious anaemia and patients with other vitamin B12 deficiencies recorded.