Frequency of hyperpigmentation in patients with megaloblastic anemia: A cross-sectional study from a tertiary care hospital of Pakistan

To find the prevalence of hyperpigmentation in patients with megaloblastic anemia in Karachi population. Methodology: This study was conducted at Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Center, Karachi from March to August 2018. A total of 103 megaloblastic anemia patients were included. A detailed history was recorded and patients were examined for hyperpigmented lesions and other cutaneous manifestations. Data were analyzed through SPSS version 23. Results: The mean hemoglobin level was 7.8+-1.2 g/dl. Out of 103 patients, 32 (31%) had hyperpigmentation and 71 (69 percent) were negative for hyperpigmentation. 30 (93.75%) patients had multiple lesions while only 2 (6.25 percent) had a single hyperpigmented lesion. Majority of patients (87.49%) had lesions that were 1-5mm in size, 3 (9.38%) had lesions of size 6-10mm, while none had a lesion exceeding 10mm in diameter. The distribution of pigmented lesions was most pronounced in the forehead, neck, arms, legs and back. Conclusion: We highly advocate that patients with any pigmented changes should be assessed for B12 deficiency. Early detection and proper management can help prevent partially irreversible neurological deficits that results from prolonged deficiency of Vitamin B12. (author)