Long-Term Zidovudine Therapy and Whether It is a Trigger of Vitamin B12 Deficiency: A Case Study of Megaloblastic Anemia at the University of Zambia Teaching Hospital

Table 1

Laboratory results at initial diagnosis and at follow-up visits.

Laboratory parameters	Reference range	Initial laboratory results	Laboratory results over time following parenteral B12 supplementation
			Post transfusion and B12 initiation	2 months post B12 supplementation	21 days post AZT discontinuation	3 months post AZT discontinuation
Hemoglobin (g/dL)	14.3–18.3	3.7	8.6	3.6	10.4	14.9
Red cell count (10^12/L)	4.50–5.50	0.92	2.50	0.99	3.22	5.13
White cell count (10^9/L)	4.00–10.00	2.71	2.58	2.41	2.61	3.56
Platelet count (10^9/L)	150–400	301	320	281	188	200
Differential count (%)
Neutrophils	40–70%	55.3%	51.9%	45.7%	36.3%	27.1%
Lymphocytes	20–40%	33.6%	36.4%	40.2%	52.5%	59.0%
Monocytes	2–10%	10.7%	9.7%	13.7%	7.7%	9.6
Eosinophils	0.04–0.4%	0.4%	1.6%	0.4%	3.1%	3.7
Basophils	0.02–0.2%	0.0%	0.4%	0.0%	0.4%	0.6%
MCV (fL)	79.1–98.9	119.6	98.8	114.1	103.4	87.3
MCH (pg)	27.0–32.0	40.2	34.4	35.4	32.3	29.0
Absolute neutrophil count (10^9/L)	2.00–7.00	1.50	1.34	1.10	0.95	0.96
Urea (mmol/L)	2.80–7.10	4.12	—	—	—	4.83
Creatinine (µmol/L)	59.0–104.0	58.3	—	62.4	—	89.6
Total bilirubin (mmol/L)	2.0–21.0	32.3	—	—	—	6.2
ALT (U/L)	0.0–45.0	20.0	—	17.1	—	8.2
AST U/L)	0.0–35.0	24.2	—	—	—	31.4
Lactate dehydrogenase (IU/L)	135–247	176	—	—	—	—