European Journal of Cardiovascular Medicine

Introduction:Vitamin B12 is chemically most complex vitamin. Dietary sources of vitamin B12 are meat, liver, fish, eggs and dairy products.It is a micronutrient essential for cardiac,neurological and hematopoetic functions.Wide range of manifestations are there due to deficiency of vitamin B12 like megaloblastic anemia,pancytopenia,dementia, delirium,peripheral neuropathy, sub acute combine degeneration of spinal cord etc.Vitamin B12 deficiency leads to hyperhomocysteinemia and methylmalonic acidemia. These biochemical abnormalities atributed to peripheral neuropathy with impaired nerve conduction parameters like nerve conduction velocity, amplitude, latency.Aim:The present study aimed to correlate the deficiency of vitamin B12 with peripheral nerve conduction parameters like nerve conduction velocity, Amplitude, latency.Materials And Methods:The present study was a cross sectional study conducted at Neurophysiology laboratory attached to Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College and Hospital Ajmer.The study period was one year,started in October 2021 and completed by October 2022. A total of 400 subjects of all age groups with vitamin B12 deficiency who underwent nerve conduction study tests during study period Included in the study.Estimation of Serum Vitamin B12 done. Nerve conduction study tests for Peroneal and Sural nerves performed on Vitamin B12 deficient subjects.Parameters recorded for data analysis were serum vitamin B12 level,Nerve conduction velocity, Amplitude, and Latency.Descriptive statistics used for data analysis and correlation analysis of serum vitamin B12 level with nerve conduction parameters done using pearson’s correlation test. p value < 0.05 Considered statistical significant.Results:Out of 400 subjects 240 were female,160 were male. 58(14.50%) subjects had borderline vitamin B12 deficiency, 142(35.50%) had vitamin B12 deficiency, 200(50%) had severe vitamin B12 deficiency. With the deficiency of vitamin B12 there was significant decrease in nerve conduction velocities (r= 0.16, p = 0.00169 ); amplitude(r= 0.14, p =0.00369) and significant increase in latency(r = - 0.11, p = 0.02493 ) of peroneal nerve. With the deficiency of serum vitamin B12 there was significant decrease in nerve conduction velocities (r = 0.12,p = 0.01182 ); amplitude(r= 0.14, p =0.00369) and significant increase in latency(r = - 0.17, p = 0.00065) of sural nerve. Conclusion:Present study showed that the nerve conduction velocities,amplitude of peroneal and sural nerves decreases and latencies of those increases  with decrease in serum vitamin B12 level.Early detection and appropriate interventions for vitamin B12 deficiency can prevent its progression to nerve functions impairements