Oral diagnosis of vitamin B12 deficiency due to long-term metformin treatment: a case report
Abstract
Metformin is the first line treatment for type 2 diabetes. It is also indicated in patients with insulin-resistant type 1 diabetes. It has several benefic effects on carbohydrate metabolism, weight loss and vascular protection. However, it can also cause serious adverse reactions such as the risk of anemia associated with long term use. It has been reported that long-term metformin use might reduce serum vitamin B12 levels. Oral signs combining Hunter glossitis and stomatodynia may be revelatory and lead to early diagnosis of vitamin B12 deficiency. We here report the case of a female patient who had had these oral signs for 2 years and whose laboratory tests revealed normocytic anemia with iron and vitamin B12 deficiency. The diagnosis of vitamin B12 deficiency due to long-term metformin was suspected while excluding other potential causes. Intramuscular hydroxocobalamin injection associated with oral iron led to the normalization of serum levels and to the disappearance of clinical signs. The patient was referred to a specialized center for further etiological assessment. This clinical case highlights the essential role of dentists in early diagnosis of vitamin B12 deficiency and the prevention of its progression, which can be dramatic in the case of late discovery.
Le metformine est actuellement placé en première ligne pour le traitement du diabète de type 2. Il est également indiqué dans le diabète de type 1 en cas de résistance à l´insuline. Il présente de nombreux…
How strong is the evidence?
Evidence Hub reads this as a case report, done in people. Its evidence level is 5 of 5 (Very low · case / narrative / animal / in vitro / in silico). Case reports, narrative reviews, and animal, cell or computer-model studies give the weakest evidence for human health.
Read the paper
Related studies
- Metformin as an adjuvant in breast cancer treatment
- Metformin Lysosomal Targeting: A Novel Aspect to Be Investigated for Metformin Repurposing in Neurodegenerative Diseases?
- Aberrant HSF1 signaling activation underlies metformin amelioration of myocardial infarction in mice
- Metformin induces ZFP36 by mTORC1 inhibition in cervical cancer-derived cell lines
- Protein Interaction Network for Identifying Vascular Response of Metformin (Oral Antidiabetic)
- Preventing Long COVID With Metformin
Go deeper in Evidence Hub
Evidence Hub adds a study data sheet (design, sample size, evidence level, key numbers), an AI summary and a chat grounded in the paper's text.