Cervical spondylotic myelopathy with vitamin B12 deficiency: Two case reports

  • Authors:
    • Yao Xu
    • Wenjun Chen
    • Jianyuan Jiang
  • View Affiliations

  • Published online on: July 30, 2013     https://doi.org/10.3892/etm.2013.1240
  • Pages: 943-946
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Abstract

Although it has been observed that a vitamin B12 (VB12) deficiency may lead to defects in the nervous system, there is a lack of studies elucidating whether VB12 has a role in the pathogenesis of cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM). The present study describes two cases of CSM observed in the clinic, where the patients presented with common characteristics of the typical clinical symptoms; however, T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging examinations revealed that although the degree of spinal cord compression was not serious, the spinal cord exhibited significant high signal changes. At the same time, the serum VB12 levels of the two patients were lower compared with those of normal controls. The symptoms of the patients improved following anterior cervical decompression surgery and VB12 replacement therapy. The incidence of CSM in the two patients may have been correlated with a lack of VB12. Therefore, it is recommended that the serum VB12 levels are checked in cases of CSM where the standard imaging and clinical manifestations do not fully match.
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October 2013
Volume 6 Issue 4

Print ISSN: 1792-0981
Online ISSN:1792-1015

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Spandidos Publications style
Xu Y, Chen W and Jiang J: Cervical spondylotic myelopathy with vitamin B12 deficiency: Two case reports. Exp Ther Med 6: 943-946, 2013.
APA
Xu, Y., Chen, W., & Jiang, J. (2013). Cervical spondylotic myelopathy with vitamin B12 deficiency: Two case reports. Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine, 6, 943-946. https://doi.org/10.3892/etm.2013.1240
MLA
Xu, Y., Chen, W., Jiang, J."Cervical spondylotic myelopathy with vitamin B12 deficiency: Two case reports". Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine 6.4 (2013): 943-946.
Chicago
Xu, Y., Chen, W., Jiang, J."Cervical spondylotic myelopathy with vitamin B12 deficiency: Two case reports". Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine 6, no. 4 (2013): 943-946. https://doi.org/10.3892/etm.2013.1240