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Clinical Utility of Folic Acid Testing for Patients with Anemia or Dementia

Journal of General Internal Medicine volume 23, pages 824–826 (2008)Cite this article

Abstract

Background

Serum folic acid tests are routinely ordered by physicians for evaluating anemia and sometimes ordered for evaluating dementia and altered mental status.

Objective

To determine the utility of routine folic acid testing for patients with anemia or dementia/altered mental status in the era of folic acid fortification.

Design

Retrospective analysis of consecutive folic acid tests performed on adults over a 4-month period; chart review of patients without anemia.

Measurements and Main Results

Serum folic acid level, mean corpuscular volume (MCV), and hematocrit. We reviewed 1,007 folic acid tests performed on 980 patients. The average age was 63.8 years, and 62% of the tests were from outpatient facilities. Only 4 (0.4%) patients had folic acid levels <3 ng/mL, while 10 (1%) patients had levels of 3–4 ng/mL (borderline). Thirty-five percent of the folic acid tests were performed on patients who were not anemic; most of these were ordered to evaluate dementia or altered mental status and folic acid level was normal in all these patients. Only 7% of the patients tested had a macrocytic anemia; these patients were more likely than those without macrocytic anemia to have low folic acid levels (2.8% vs 0.4%, p < .03).

Conclusion

Low serum folic acid levels were rarely detected in a series of patients being evaluated for anemia, dementia, or altered mental status. The test should be reserved for patients with macrocytic anemia and those at high risk for folic acid deficiency.

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Acknowledgment

This study was performed without external funding.

Conflict of Interest

None disclosed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Cardiology, Baystate Medical Center, Springfield, MA, USA

    M. Javed Ashraf MD & James R. Cook MD, MPH

  2. Division of General Medicine and Geriatrics, Baystate Medical Center, Springfield, MA, USA

    Michael B. Rothberg MD, MPH

  3. Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA

    M. Javed Ashraf MD, James R. Cook MD, MPH & Michael B. Rothberg MD, MPH

Authors
  1. M. Javed Ashraf MD
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  2. James R. Cook MD, MPH
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  3. Michael B. Rothberg MD, MPH
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Correspondence to M. Javed Ashraf MD.

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Ashraf, M.J., Cook, J.R. & Rothberg, M.B. Clinical Utility of Folic Acid Testing for Patients with Anemia or Dementia. J GEN INTERN MED 23, 824–826 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11606-008-0615-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11606-008-0615-z

KEY WORDS

  • folic acid, anemia, dementia