Is this hereditary?
Pernicious anemia in type A gastritis with antibody production is inherited. However, the vast majority of cases occur spontaneously and cannot be attributed to it. Only about 3-6% of cases are inherited.
Life expectancy
Today pernicious anemia is very well researched. It can be easily diagnosed and is very well treatable by a lifelong intramuscular administration of vitamin B12, so that life expectancy is hardly limited. However, prior to research into these relationships, pernicious anemia was usually fatal.
The symptoms caused by the existing vitamin B12 deficiency are reversible in the early stages. Unfortunately, if the deficiency has existed for too long, some neurological symptoms are irreversible. In an accompanying type A gastritis, the risk of stomach cancer is increased by the changes in the stomach lining.
Therefore, control gastroscopies, i.e. a gastroscopy, should be performed every two years. Gastric cancer generally has a very poor prognosis. However, regular control gastroscopies can detect stomach cancer at a very early stage, which drastically increases life expectancy and the chances of recovery. Thus, if the diagnosis is made very early and therapy is started early, 90 to 95% of the patients are still alive after 5 years.
Can pernicious anemia be fatal?
Before the cause and treatment of pernicious anemia were researched, it was usually fatal. Today, however, pernicious anemia is easily diagnosed and is easily treated by an additional vitamin B12 intake. In the absence of treatment, a fatal outcome is possible. However, this is very rare nowadays.
What role does folic acid play?
In pernicious anemia, folic acid plays no role. Folic acid is however a very important vitamin. The body needs folic acid for cell division.
Therefore with a Folsäuremangel primarily cells are concerned, which have only a short life span and must be constantly copied therefore by the body. Among these cells are the blood-forming cells of the bone marrow. Therefore, a folic acid deficiency leads to a reduced formation of red blood cells and the person affected suffers from anemia.
