Relation between vitamin B12 and folate status, and hemoglobin concentration and parasitemia during acute malaria infections in Colombia

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 erythrocyt...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Acta tropica 2010-04, Vol.114 (1), p.17-21
Main Authors: Caicedo, Olga, Villamor, Eduardo, Forero, Yibby, Ziade, José, Pérez, Pilar, Quiñones, Francisco, Arévalo-Herrera, Myriam, Herrera, Sócrates
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adult
Anemia
Anemia - epidemiology
Anemias. Hemoglobinopathies
Animals
Biological and medical sciences
Colombia
Cross-Sectional Studies
Diseases of red blood cells
Female
Folic Acid - analysis
General aspects
Hematologic and hematopoietic diseases
Hemoglobins - analysis
Human protozoal diseases
Humans
Infectious diseases
Malaria
Malaria, Falciparum - complications
Malaria, Falciparum - pathology
Male
Medical sciences
Middle Aged
Parasitemia
Parasitic diseases
Plasmodium falciparum
Plasmodium falciparum - isolation & purification
Protozoal diseases
Vitamin B 12 - analysis
Young Adult
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Summary: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 1 g/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.
ISSN:0001-706X
1873-6254
DOI:10.1016/j.actatropica.2009.11.005