title: Relation between vitamin B12 and folate status, and hemoglobin concentration and parasitemia during acute malaria infections in Colombia.
abstract: Anemia is a common complication of human malaria. Since micronutrient deficiencies are highly prevalent in malaria-endemic areas and appear to contribute to anemia etiology, we conducted a cross-sectional study in Tumaco, Colombia, to examine the associations between plasma vitamin B12 or erythrocyte folate concentrations and hemoglobin (Hb) among 96 adults with predominantly Plasmodium falciparum malaria. Prevalence of folate and vitamin B12 deficiencies was 26.0 and 26.6%, respectively. There was an inverse, linear relation between folate and Hb concentrations. Adjusted difference in Hb between lowest and highest folate quartiles was 1g/dL (p=0.04; p, test for trend=0.01). Vitamin B12 was not associated with Hb concentrations and did not modify the associations between folate and Hb. Incidentally, body mass index (BMI) was inversely associated with parasitemia and risk of clinical malaria. Future longitudinal studies are warranted to determine the potential pathophysiological role of folate in malaria-related anemia.
authors.affiliation: Malaria Vaccine and Drug Development Center, Cali, Colombia.
authors.forename: Olga
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Caicedo
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Villamor
authors.forename: Yibby
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Forero
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ziade
authors.forename: Pilar
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pérez
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Quiñones
authors.forename: Myriam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Arévalo-Herrera
authors.forename: Sócrates
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Herrera
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000740:Anemia / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000818:Animals; D003105:Colombia; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000032:analysis*; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018512:Parasitemia; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014805:Vitamin B 12 / Q000032:analysis*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins; D005492:Folic Acid; D014805:Vitamin B 12