Macrocytic anemia causes

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Amandeep Singh M.D.[2] Omer Kamal, M.D.[3]

The common causes of megaloblastic anemia are less dietray intake, autoimmune disorders like pernicious anemia, alcoholism, increased demands like in pregnancy and due to drugs.

Common causes of macrocytic anemia may include: causes of megaloblastic anemia and non megaloblastic anemia:^[1][2][3]

• Vitamin B12 Deficiency:  
  1. Deficient intake
  2. Deficient intrinsic factor (pernicious anaemia or gastrectomy)
  3. Bilogical competition for B12 by diverticulosis, fistula, intestinal anastomosis, achlorhydria and infection by the marine parasite Diphyllobothrium latum
  4. Selective B12 malabsorption (congenital and drug-induced)
  5. Chronic pancreatitis
  6. Ileal resection and bypass
• Folate Deficiency:
  1. Deficient intake
  2. Alcoholism
  3. Increased needs: pregnancy, infant, rapid cellular proliferation, and cirrhosis
  4. Malabsorption (congenital and drug-induced)
  5. Intestinal and jejunal resection
• Toxins and Drugs:
  • Amobarbital sodium
  • Cycloserine
  • Cytarabine
  • Ethotoin
  • Folic acid antagonists (methotrexate)
  • Pergolide
  • Purine antagonists (6-mercaptopurine)
  • Pyrimidine antagonists (cytosine arabinoside)
  • Phenobarbital
  • Pyrimethamine
  • Secobarbital sodium
  • Trimethoprim
  • Erythroleukemia.

• Myelodysplasia
• Chronic liver disease
• Reticulocytosis
• Hypothyroidism

Less common causes of macrocytsic anemia include: ^[4]

• Combined deficiency(vitamin B12 & folate) Tropical sprue
• Inherited DNA Synthesis Disorders: Deficient thiamine and factors (e.g. enzymes) responsible for folate metabolism.
• Lesch-Nyhan Syndrome
• Methylmalonic aciduria
• Orotic aciduria

• Lesch-Nyhan Syndrome
• Orotic aciduria

List the causes of the disease in alphabetical order:

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