Adult-Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) Practice Exam

A person with which condition is likely to have a deficiency in vitamin B12?

1. Iron deficiency anemia

2. Pernicious anemia

3. Folate deficiency anemia

4. Hemolytic anemia

The correct answer is: Pernicious anemia

A person with pernicious anemia is likely to have a deficiency in vitamin B12 because this condition is specifically characterized by the body's inability to absorb vitamin B12 from the gastrointestinal tract. Pernicious anemia occurs when there is an autoimmune response that damages the stomach cells that produce intrinsic factor, a protein essential for vitamin B12 absorption. Without intrinsic factor, even sufficient dietary intake of vitamin B12 cannot be effectively absorbed, leading to deficiency. While other types of anemia can be related to deficiencies of different vitamins or minerals, such as iron in iron deficiency anemia or folate in folate deficiency anemia, they do not directly involve vitamin B12 absorption issues as in pernicious anemia. Hemolytic anemia involves the destruction of red blood cells and does not inherently lead to a vitamin B12 deficiency either. Thus, pernicious anemia stands out as the condition that directly correlates with vitamin B12 deficiency.