{'fraction_non_alphanumeric': 0.022877478393492627, 'fraction_numerical': 0.004575495678698526, 'mean_word_length': 6.0285714285714285, 'pattern_counts': {'":': 0, '<': 0, '<?xml version=': 0, '>': 0, 'https://': 0, 'lorem ipsum': 0, 'www.': 0, 'xml': 0}, 'pii_count': 0, 'substrings_counts': 0, 'word_list_counts': {'cursed_substrings.json': 0, 'profanity_word_list.json': 0, 'sexual_word_list.json': 0, 'zh_pornsignals.json': 0}}
Retinal infarcts and haemorrhages due to scurvy.

Three menstruating females, mean age 44, were diagnosed as having severe atrophic gastritis after gastroscopic study within the last 5 years (Medical records of Internal Medicine, Ram6n y Cajal Hospital, Madrid). Physical examination revealed alopecia universalis, multinodular goitre and vitiligo, respectively, as positive findings. Patients denied menometrorrhagia. Laboratory findings showed hypochromic microcytic anaemia, low serum iron levels, low serum B12 in one patient with an abnormal Schilling test, and positive serum antibodies to parietal cells. Gastric function tests yielded high serum gastrin levels and absolute achlorhydria. Oral iron replacement, plus hydroxocobalamin in the patient with vitamin B,2 malabsorption, re-established normal haematological data. We report three patients with autoimmune chronic gastritis, associated in one patient with intrinsic factor hyposecretion, iron deficiency anaemia being the initial manifestation. Hypochromic microcytic anaemia can be secondary to chronic malabsorption of iron due to achlorhydria, but triggered by physiological features such as menstruation, although pathology such as undetectable blood loss might also contribute. Atrophic gastritis might explain some cases of iron deficiency, specially in young women, for two reasons. First, they have higher incidence ofautoimmune diseases, including antrofundal chronic gastritis, and second, the presence of physiological mechanisms causing iron loss (menstruation, pregnancy). We conclude that measurement of serum gastrin levels in all patients with iron deficiency anaemia of an unknown origin is advisable. This is particularly so if they present with autoimmune features such as alopecia universalis, vitiligo and diabetes mellitus. This will lead to an earlier diagnosis of vitamin B12 malabsorption, and periodic gastroscopic examinations to detect the development of gastric carcinoma.