Spontaneous resolution of macrocytic anemia: old disease revisited

We report here on a 60-year-old male with alcohol-related macrocytic anemia. He was hospitalized on three occasions with hemoglobin < 9.0 g/dL and mean corpuscular volume > 130 fL. Careful history taking and observation of his blood status led us to make a correct diagnosis. At the time of each of his admissions, only with bed rest and abstinence from alcohol did our patient dramatically show spontaneous recovery of anemia in association with a rapid decline of serum γ-glutamyl transpeptidase values. It is well recognized that marrow abnormalities in alcoholic patients are reversible. Physicians should be aware that there is a subset of patients with macrocytic anemia that could be improved without medication.