title: Folate deficiency in operated terminal ileitis (Crohn's disease).
abstract: In a series of 39 subjects previous results for serum folate levels were confirmed while intraglobular folate did not differ from those in a control group. To verify the hypothesis that SASP administration could be responsible for serum folate deficiency three different sub-groups were considered. 11 patients had never taken SASP (sub-group I), 16 patients had taken SASP in the past but the treatment had been withheld at least 2 months before (sub-group II), 12 patients were still taking the drug at the time of the study (sub-group III). Differences in serum folate levels between each one of the three sub-groups and the control group were significant. The same was not true for the differences between each one of the three sub-groups and the other. These findings seem to confirm that SASP treatment is not the major cause of serum folate deficiency, but a multifactorial pathogenesis might account for it.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000601:surgery*; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000097:blood; D005494:Folic Acid Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D007079:Ileitis / Q000097:blood / Q000601:surgery; D007082:Ileum / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic; D012460:Sulfasalazine / Q000494:pharmacology; D014805:Vitamin B 12 / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic; D012460:Sulfasalazine; D005492:Folic Acid; D014805:Vitamin B 12