FOLATE-DEFICIENCY IN CHRONIC INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASES

  • 1 January 1979
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 14  (8) , 1019-1024
Abstract
In a consecutive study of 216 outpatients with chronic inflammatory bowel diseases (CIBD) low serum and erythrocyte folate levels were found in 59 and 26%, respectively. In patients with low folate levels in both serum and erythrocytes, megaloblastic changes in the bone marrow were found in 67% (29 out of 44). Their folate intakes were borderline. Absorption studies with 3H folate showed low absorption values on repeated examinations in 23% of the patients with low folate values (9 of 40), with no relationship to the intake of salazosulfapyridine. In patients with low folate values the reticulocyte count was elevated (related to the dose of salazosulfapyridine), and the 51Cr erythrocyte survival was decreased. Folate deficiency in CIBD is of multiple origin: inadequate diet, malabsorption and chronic drug-induced low-grade hemolysis. The clinical consequence of the findings remains to be evaluated.