Abstract
Objective: To determine whether or not the patients should be screened for vitamin B12 deficiency.
Methodology: This cross sectional study was conducted at Shifa Foundation Clinic, from December 2016 to May 2017. A total of 196 patients were enrolled and their vitamin B12 levels were determined. The correlation of different symptoms with vitamin B12 levels was estimated. The analyses were conducted using SPSS version 20.0.
Results: Out of 196 patients, 110 (56.1%) were found to be B12 deficient and 86 (43.8%) had normal B12 levels. In patients with B12 deficiency, 90.4% patients complained of numbness and paresthesias, 57.7% of aches and pains, 83.6% of fatigue, 93.5% of memory impairment, 62.9% of general weakness, 68% of depressive symptoms and 85% of dyspnea. The correlation of numbness and paresthesias (p<0.05, r=0.4, k statistic=0.3), memory impairment (p<0.05, r=0.32, k statistic=0.25) and Dyspnea (p<0.05, r=0.29, k statistic=0.25) was significant. The correlation of depressive symptoms was slightly significant (p=0.05, r=0.14, k statistic=0.12). The correlation of aches and pains (p=0.5, r=0.04, k statistic=0.04) and generalized weakness (p=0.08, r=0.12, k statistic=0.12) was not significant.
Conclusion: Prevalence of vitamin B12 deficiency was 56.1% among patients presenting with vague symptoms having significant correlation with numbness and paresthesias, memory impairment, dyspnea and depressive symptoms.

Key words: B12 deficiency, vague symptoms, clinical correlation