HOMOCYSTINURIA .2. SUBNORMAL SERUM FOLATE LEVELS INCREASED FOLATE CLEARANCE AND EFFECTS OF FOLIC ACID THERAPY

In eight homocystinuric children, low fasting serum folate levels were found. Folic acid absorption, intravenous clearance studies and formiminoglutamic acid excretion after l-histidine loading were the parameters investigated. Increased utilization of folic acid was noted and its implications are discussed. Oral folic acid therapy in two patients brought about a decrease in the urinary excretion of homocystine and an increase in methionine excretion. The usefulness of pharmacologic doses of folic acid as an adjunct to dietary treatment of this condition is advanced as an important measure. © 1968.