Evidence map›Paper›PMID 36273211›Full record

ArticleBMC research notes2022

Diagnostic reliability of serum active B12 (holo-transcobalamin) in true evaluation of vitamin B12 deficiency: Relevance in current perspective.

Rinini Dastidar, Kunal Sikder

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC research notes, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 9 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
9citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
1.9field-weighted citation impact, top 14% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

9 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 14 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Review
  3. Autoimmune gastritis: emerging insights and clinical management.Nature reviews. Gastroenterology & hepatology · 2026
    Review
  4. Review
  5. Article
  6. Indian journal of hematology & blood transfusion : an official journal of Indian Society of Hematology and Blood Transfusion · 2025
    Review
  7. Article
  8. Review
  9. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

2 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Rinini DastidarDepartment of Biochemistry, Ramakrishna Mission Seva Pratishthan (RKMSP) hospital, 700026, Kolkata, West Bengal, India. rinini2018@gmail.com.
Kunal SikderDepartment of Biomedical Science and Technology, School of Biological Sciences, JIVAN, Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda Educational and Research Institute (RKMVERI), 700026, Kolkata, West Bengal, India. kunal.sikder@gm.rkmvu.ac.in.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4235-0936
Ramakrishna Mission Vidyamandira · INRamakrishna Mission Vivekananda Educational and Research Institute · IN

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveMeasurement of total vitamin B12 (vit B12) concentration raised concerns over early detection of vit B12 deficiency due to its clinical unreliability. In this present article we aimed to assess the efficacy of holo-transcobolamin (active vit B12) for true evaluation of vit B12 deficiency.

methodsThis retrospective study included 100 participants referred for vit B12 assay. Serum total vit B12, active vit B12 and homocysteine were estimated.

resultsOur study showed 59% of the total participants with vit B12 deficiency (185 ± 64.62 pg/ml) and 18% with hyper-cobalaminemia (1666.9 ± 367.13 pg/ml) based on their total vit B12 concentrations. A comparative study on total vit B12 and active vit B12 was done which reflected a striking disparity in results. Active vit B12 reported 28.8% patients with vit B12 deficiency (19.8 ± 17.48 pg/ml) and only 16.6% patients with hyper-cobalaminemia (224.14 ± 10 pg/ml). Active vit B12 appeared to be more sensitive (82.35% vs 65%) and specific (46.6% vs. 43.8%) diagnostic marker compared to total vit B12. Pearson Correlation study indicated a strong positive correlation (r = 0.695 at p < 0.01) hence justified use of the two methods.

conclusionWe claim that active vit B12 is a much more reliable biomarker than total vit B12 for early diagnosis of vit B12 deficiency.

Indexed as

TranscobalaminsVitamin B 12 DeficiencyBiomarkersHomocysteineHumansReproducibility of ResultsRetrospective StudiesVitamin B 12BiomarkersHomocysteineTranscobalaminsVitamin B 12Diagnostic blind spotHaptocorrinHolo-transcobalaminHomocysteineTranscobalaminVitamin B12 deficiency

Identifiers

PMID36273211
PMCPMC9588217
OpenAlexW4307134899

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.