Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
3
pubmed:dateCreated
1990-12-5
pubmed:abstractText
Methotrexate (MTX) is an antifolate that inhibits cell division by reducing intracellular amounts of reduced tetrahydrofolates. Of 53 children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in maintenance treatment with MTX and 6-mercaptopurine (6-MP), 25 had received daily folic acid supplements in vitamin tablets containing 75-200 micrograms folic acid for at least the preceding 3-month period. Experimental data have shown that increased folate concentrations intracellularly inhibit MTX metabolism and toxicity. Therefore we found it relevant to investigate the extent to which folic acid supplements affect hematological tolerance to MTX and 6-MP in children during maintenance therapy for ALL. The erythrocyte folate (ery-folate) concentration was significantly higher in children who received extra folic acid than in those who did not (p less than 0.001). The ery-folate in MTX-treated children was only marginally reduced compared with the controls. The erythrocyte methotrexate (ery-MTX) concentration correlated with the weekly dose of MTX but not with any of the investigated hematological parameters. Children who received vitamin tablets containing folic acid had higher thrombocyte counts (p = 0.0056), higher leukocyte counts (p = 0.06), higher neutrophil counts (p = 0.05), and lower erythrocyte mean cell volumes (p = 0.05) than children who received no folic acid. We conclude that folic acid supplements of 75-200 micrograms/day affect the proliferative capacity of the bone marrow. Since none of the children was folate deficient as judged by the ery-folate, we recommend that vitamins given to children in maintenance treatment with MTX and 6-MP for ALL should not contain folic acid.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:chemical
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:issn
0888-0018
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:volume
3
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
241-7
pubmed:dateRevised
2007-11-15
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
1986
pubmed:articleTitle
Folic acid supplements in vitamin tablets: a determinant of hematological drug tolerance in maintenance therapy of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
pubmed:affiliation
Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital of Aarhus, Denmark.
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article