Exames Laboratoriais no Diagnóstico de Anemia Perniciosa em Pacientes Pós Cirurgia Bariátrica

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Pernicious anemia is a condition associated with vitamin B12 deficiency, which can occur at an accelerated rate in patients undergoing bariatric surgery due to decreased secretion of intrinsic factor and loss of intestinal absorption capacity for this vitamin. Early identification of this anemia through laboratory tests is essential to avoid serious neurological and hematological complications. OBJECTIVES: This study aims to understand how laboratory tests contribute to monitoring and preventing vitamin B12 deficiency and pernicious anemia in patients before and after gastric surgery. METHODOLOGY: A systematic review was carried out of articles published between 2015 and 2025 in the SciElo and Lilacs databases, using the keywords: laboratory tests, pernicious anemia, vitamin B12 and bariatric surgery. We selected studies in Portuguese that addressed the evaluation of laboratory tests in patients before and after bariatric surgery, excluding studies with patients who had not undergone the procedure or articles outside the scope of the research. RESULTS: The studies reviewed showed a strong association between decreased vitamin B12 levels and the development of pernicious anemia in bariatric patients. The importance of measuring vitamin B12, blood count, homocysteine, anti-intrinsic factor and anti-parietal cell antibodies, serum iron, ferritin and folic acid for differentiating different types of anemia and for the early detection of pernicious anemia was highlighted. CONCLUSION: Laboratory tests play a fundamental role in the early detection and monitoring of pernicious anemia in patients before and after bariatric surgery. The combination of different laboratory tests provides a more accurate assessment, contributing to the prevention of complications arising from vitamin B12 deficiency.