title: Low serum folic acid levels in a nursing home population: a clinical experience.
abstract: Four hundred fifty-five residents of the Wisconsin Veterans Home had fasting serum specimens obtained for folic acid as part of standard practice. Twenty-nine percent were taking folic acid supplements. Six percent (n = 28) were taking phenytoin, a folate antagonist. No resident receiving a folate supplement (400 mcg/day) had a low serum folic acid level. This finding may be important for practitioners selecting a dose of folic acid for nursing home patients. Of the 325 residents not receiving a folate supplement, nine (3%) had low folic acid levels (< 2.5 ng/mL). Two of the nine were receiving phenytoin. Five were characterized by staff as eating well. As low serum levels are preventable with a multivitamin, we believe that supplementation with a multivitamin containing 400 mcg folic acid/day should be considered in nursing home residents.
authors: Wisconsin Veterans Home, King 54946-0620.
authors: P J
authors: PJ
authors: Drinka
authors: E H
authors: EH
authors: Langer
authors: S K
authors: SK
authors: Voeks
authors: J S
authors: JS
authors: Goodwin
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004909:Erythrocyte Indices; D005260:Female; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood*; D005494:Folic Acid Deficiency / Q000453:epidemiology; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006707:Homes for the Aged; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009735:Nursing Homes; D010672:Phenytoin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014922:Wisconsin
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins; D010672:Phenytoin; D005492:Folic Acid