Leucocyte Folate in Vitamin B12 and Folate Deficiency and in Leukaemia

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Abstract
SUMMARY: Leucocyte folate concentrations were measured in 24 normal subjects, in 32 patients with subnormal serum folate concentrations and normal serum B12 concentrations associated with chronic gastro‐intestinal disease, in seven patients with leukaemia, and in 10 patients with untreated pernicious anaemia.In the normal subjects, the leucocyte folate levels ranged from 60 to 123 ng./ml. of packed leucocytes. Among the patients with subnormal serum folate concentrations, leucocyte folate concentrations were normal in seven or eight patients with entirely normoblastic haemopoiesis, but were subnormal in all eight patients whose marrows showed normoblastic erythropoiesis and giant metamyelocytes, in all eight patients with obvious megaloblastic changes, and in all eight patients with overt megaloblastic anaemia due to folate deficiency.Leucocyte folate was raised in six of the seven patients with leukaemia including patients with acute and chronic myeloid leukaemia, myelomonocytic leukaemia and chronic lymphatic leukaemia.Of the 10 patients with untreated pernicious anaemia, three had raised, three had normal, and four subnormal leucocyte folate. The changes in leucocyte folate produced by B12 therapy in four of the pernicious anaemia patients are described.