High-Folate-Low-Vitamin B12 Interaction Syndrome.

Abstract

Introduction: Vitamin B12 deficiency is characterised by haematological and neurological complications, from mild symptoms (e.g. fatigue and paraesthesia), to severe symptoms (e.g. pancytopenia and combined degeneration of the spinal cord). If treatment is delayed, irreversible neurological damage may occur. Thus, early recognition and prompt corrective therapy are essential. The vitamin B12 deficiency can be due to a variety of anomalies: the paradoxical interaction between folic acid and vitamin B12 has recently been well described.

Case description: We report the case of a patient who presented to the emergency department with balance disorders and a blood count indicating macrocytosis. Vitamin B12 deficiency and a high folate value were detected, supporting the hypothesis of the high-folate-low-vitamin B12 interaction as a cause of vitamin B12 depletion.

Discussion: An excessive oral intake of folic acid leads to a reduction in the active fraction of vitamin B12 and this decrease exacerbates the deficiency itself. The neurological signs and symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency are due to demyelination of the posterior and lateral columns of the spinal cord. This patient had been taking folic acid for 30 years and the serum folate value was high. We hypothesise that the high-folate-low-vitamin B12 interaction represents the cause of vitamin B12 depletion in this patient.

Conclusion: All the patients with neurological signs and symptoms should be tested for possible vitamin B12 deficiency: early diagnosis and treatment could stop the progression of the disease and allow the regression of the neurological deficit. It is important not to rely on blood count values to diagnose a vitamin B12 deficiency as the neurological and haematological outlook may be inversely proportional. This study is the first to report a case of combined sclerosis and high-folate-low-vitamin B12 interaction from Italy and is therefore of interest to public health decision makers and clinical practice.

Learning points: Vitamin B12 and folate should be measured in all patients with neurological symptoms.In case of vitamin B12 deficiency, folate levels should always be measured as well.Vitamin blood levels should be checked periodically while taking vitamin supplements.