If a patient tests positive for the suspected type of anemia in the confirmatory test, what treatment is most likely?

If a patient tests positive for the suspected type of anemia in the confirmatory test, what treatment is most likely?

• A. Iron supplementation
• B. B12 supplementation
• C. Folic Acid supplementation
• D. Blood transfusion

Answer: (B)

When the confirmatory test for the suspected type of anemia is positive, it points to a deficiency of vitamin B12 causing megaloblastic anemia (often due to pernicious anemia). The appropriate treatment is to replace the missing vitamin, so B12 supplementation is used. Vitamin B12 is essential for DNA synthesis in red blood cell precursors; without it, blood cells can't develop properly, leading to anemia that improves with replenishment of B12. In practice, this often means injections or high-dose supplementation to ensure adequate absorption. Iron supplementation targets iron-deficiency anemia, not B12 deficiency. Folate supplementation addresses folate deficiency, which can also cause megaloblastic anemia but stems from a different deficiency. A blood transfusion wildcards only in situations needing rapid correction or severe anemia and does not treat the underlying B12 deficiency.

When the confirmatory test for the suspected type of anemia is positive, it points to a deficiency of vitamin B12 causing megaloblastic anemia (often due to pernicious anemia). The appropriate treatment is to replace the missing vitamin, so B12 supplementation is used. Vitamin B12 is essential for DNA synthesis in red blood cell precursors; without it, blood cells can't develop properly, leading to anemia that improves with replenishment of B12. In practice, this often means injections or high-dose supplementation to ensure adequate absorption.

Iron supplementation targets iron-deficiency anemia, not B12 deficiency. Folate supplementation addresses folate deficiency, which can also cause megaloblastic anemia but stems from a different deficiency. A blood transfusion wildcards only in situations needing rapid correction or severe anemia and does not treat the underlying B12 deficiency.