title: Vitamin B12 and folate. Pediatric reference ranges.
abstract: Pediatric reference ranges were obtained for vitamin B12 and folate (Quantaphase radioimmunoassay, BioRad, Hercules, Calif) using a large hospital population. Data were analyzed employing the Hoffman approach, which was computer adapted. For folic acid, the range for subjects aged 1 to 12 years averaged 5.7 to 31.3 nmol/L for female subjects and 4.5 to 27.0 nmol/L for male subjects. There was a significant decrease in folic acid concentrations after 13 years, the upper limit being 16.5 nmol/L in female subjects and 19.9 nmol/L in male subjects. For vitamin B12, the values in the 0- to 1-year age group were nearly double those in the 13- to 18-year age group. For female subjects, the values in the 0- to 1-year age group were 168 to 1116 pmol/L and in male subjects were 216 to 891 pmol/L. At 13 to 18 years, for female subjects the values were 158 to 637 pmol/L and for male subjects, 134 to 605 pmol/L.
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, Children's National Medical Center.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Hicks
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cook
authors.forename: I D
authors.initials: ID
authors.lastname: Godwin
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Soldin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D012016:Reference Values; D014805:Vitamin B 12 / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D005492:Folic Acid; D014805:Vitamin B 12