Why is it critical to rule out Vitamin B12 deficiency before treating a macrocytic anemia with Folate alone?
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Correct answer: Folate can improve the anemia but allow neurological damage to progress
Folate supplementation can bypass the 'folate trap' and correct the megaloblastic anemia of B12 deficiency. However, it does not correct the underlying B12 deficiency, allowing the irreversible neurological degeneration to continue unnoticed.
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