Serum folate and vitamin B12 levels in acute and chronic renal disease. Effect of peritoneal dialysis.

Serum folate and vitamin B(12) levels have been measured in 32 patients with renal failure. The initial mean serum folate level was raised above normal in seven patients with acute renal failure whereas the mean level in eight patients severely ill from chronic renal failure was significantly lower than normal. Serum folate levels fell during peritoneal dialysis and rose between dialyses in all these patients and also in one patient who was dialysed for acute pancreatitis.The mean serum B(12) level was raised in patients with both acute and chronic renal failure, but there was no consistent change in serum B(12) level during dialysis.Hypersegmented polymorphs were present in the peripheral blood film of most of the patients with acute or chronic renal failure. Their presence bore no relation to the clinical state, blood urea, serum folate, or serum B(12) level of the patients.