Folate deficiency diagnostic study of choice
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief:
Overview
There is no single diagnostic study of choice or gold standard test for the diagnosis of folate deficiency.
Diagnostic Study of Choice
Study of choice
There is no single diagnostic study of choice or gold standard test for the diagnosis of folate deficiency, [1] but Homocysteine and methylmalonic acid levels can be helpful in confirmation.Homocysteine but not methylmalonic acid is increased in folate deficiency.[2][3]
Sequence of Diagnostic Studies
The various investigations must be performed in the following order:
- CBC
- Peripheral smear
- Liver function test esp. indirect biluribin
- LDH
- Serum folate level
- RBC folate level
- plasma or serum homocysteine or methylmalonic acid
- serum Vitamin b12 level and finally
- serum iron panel
References
- ↑ Snow, Christopher F. (1999). "Laboratory Diagnosis of Vitamin B12 and Folate Deficiency". Archives of Internal Medicine. 159 (12): 1289. doi:10.1001/archinte.159.12.1289. ISSN 0003-9926.
- ↑ Klee GG (2000). "Cobalamin and folate evaluation: measurement of methylmalonic acid and homocysteine vs vitamin B(12) and folate". Clin Chem. 46 (8 Pt 2): 1277–83. PMID 10926922.
- ↑ Devalia V, Hamilton MS, Molloy AM, British Committee for Standards in Haematology (2014). "Guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of cobalamin and folate disorders". Br J Haematol. 166 (4): 496–513. doi:10.1111/bjh.12959. PMID 24942828.