The genetic factor in pernicious anaemia. A family study in patients with gastritis.

Abstract

175 relatives of 13 patients with addisonian pernicious anæmia and 13 patients with simple chronic atrophic gastritis were investigated in a family study. The 88 " pernicious anæmia" relatives included a significantly greater number of people with (a) pernicious anæmia or conditions hitherto linked with it (hypochromic microcytic anæmia, diabetes mellitus, primary Addison's disease, vitiligo, and premature greying) and (b) autoantibodies to thyroid and gastric antigens, and there was a significantly increased mortality in the brothers. It is suggested that the gastric lesion of pernicious anaemia is determined by two influences: (1) non-specific damage by various environmental agents, and (2..