Haematological Parameters in Children with Serum Folate Deficiency

Year 2021, Volume: 22 Issue: 1, 57 - 62, 30.04.2021

Hatice Tuba Akbayram , Mustafa Örkmez

https://doi.org/10.4274/meandros.galenos.2021.92259

Cited By: 1

Abstract

Objective: Folate deficiency is common globally, especially in low- and middleincome countries. The best-known morbid effects of folate deficiency are haematological in nature. This study aimed to identify the haematological parameters status of folate deficiency in children.
Materials and Methods: Data were gathered from the outpatient clinics electronic database of Gaziantep University Hospital. A total of 200 children were evaluated. The inclusion criteria were paediatric patients with folate deficiency (<4 ng/mL).
Results: Of the 200 children with folate deficiency, 46.5% showed low haemoglobin level (<11 g/dL), reflecting anaemia status. Macrocytic anaemia was detected in 13.5% of the patients. Thrombocytopaenia was detected in 20%, leukopenia in 17%, lymphopaenia in 6%, neutropenia in 5% and pancytopenia in 12% of the patients. Positive correlations were found between folate levels and haemoglobin (r=0.18; p<0.01), haematocrit (r=0.17; p<0.05), red blood cell (r=0.19; p<0.01), lymphocyte count (r=0.20; p<0.01) and platelet count (r=0.15; p<0.05). However, inverse correlations were found between folate level and red cell distribution width (r=-0.18; p<0.01), and no correlations were noted between folate level and mean corpuscular volume (r=-0.72; p>0.05).
Conclusion: Our data showed that these children not only develop anaemia but also leucopenia, thrombocytopenia and pancytopenia. Monitoring haematological parameters could be useful in children with folate deficiency.

Keywords

Folate , anemia , children

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