A patient with a history of chronic alcoholism and poor diet presents with macrocytic anemia. If Folate deficiency is suspected, which of the following is true regarding its body stores?
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Correct answer: Stores are depleted within 3 to 4 months
Unlike Vitamin B12, which has massive hepatic stores lasting 3 to 5 years, folate stores are quite limited. A diet devoid of folate can lead to megaloblastic anemia in just a few months.
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More Megaloblastic Anemia questions
- Which of the following drugs is a known dihydrofolate reductase inhibitor that can cause megaloblastic changes?
- The presence of 'Howell-Jolly bodies' in a megaloblastic patient typically indicates:
- What is the expected bone marrow appearance in a patient with megaloblastic anemia?
- Which of the following parasitic infections is classically associated with Vitamin B12 deficiency?
- In a patient with megaloblastic anemia, why might serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and indirect bilirubin be elevated?
- Which specific antibody test is the most specific (though not most sensitive) for Pernicious Anemia?