pernicious anemia

pernicious anemia

[pər′nish·əs ə′nēm·ē·ə]

(medicine)

A megaloblastic macrocytic anemia resulting from lack of vitamin B₁₂, secondary to gastric atrophy and loss of intrinsic factor necessary for vitamin B₁₂ absorption, and accompanied by degeneration of the posterior and lateral columns of the spinal cord.

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific & Technical Terms, 6E, Copyright © 2003 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.