American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol 25, 282-285, Copyright © 1972 by The American Society for Clinical Nutrition, Inc.

Evaluation of the Segal uropepsin test in screening for hypovitaminosis B₁₂

¹ Project Director and staff member of the Pernicious Anemia Detection Program, Department of Medicine, Eastern Maine Medical Center, Bangor, Maine 04401
² Associate Pathologist, Department of Pathology, Eastern Maine Medical Center
³ Project Laboratory Director of the Pernicious Anemia Detection Program, Eastern Maine Medical Center

Sixteen hundred ninety-three subjects with an average age of 41.5 years were studied with the Segal uropepsin test. Abnormal uropepsin values were found in 69 (4%) of the total.

Of the subjects with abnormal uropepsin values, 20 (1.2%) had low or intermediate serum vitamin B₁₂ values. Of the entire group of mill employees, 0.36% were found to have an abnormal Schilling test.

Because of the above data and the simplicity of the Segal uropepsin test, we consider it to be a useful tool in the detection of hypovitaminosis B₁₂.