Serum folate levels in end stage renal disease patients

Objective: This study was aimed to measure serum folate levels in patients of end stage renal disease (ESRD) on regular haemodialysis and compared with normal healthy individuals. Study design: It is a comparative study. Setting: Department of Pathology, Shaikh Zayed Hospital, Lahore Patients and methods: One hundred subjects were selected and divided into two groups. Group A include fifty patients of end stage renal disease on regular haemodialysis and group B include fifty normal healthy individuals as control. Two ml of blood was drawn by venepuncture, one ml for complete blood examination and one ml for serum folate level. Results: A significant decrease in folate level was observed in end stage renal disease patients on regular haemodialysis as compared to control group. Conclusion: By measuring serum folate level in patients on regular haemodialysis we can manage anaemia due to folate deficiency.