1. [Folic acid deficiency and increased concentrations of formate in serum and cerebrospinal fluid of patients with epidemic optical neuropathy].
- Author
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Eells JT, González-Quevedo A, Santiesteban Freixas R, McMartin KE, and Sadun AA
- Subjects
- Alcohol Drinking, Female, Humans, Male, Methanol adverse effects, Middle Aged, Optic Nerve Diseases blood, Optic Nerve Diseases cerebrospinal fluid, Optic Nerve Diseases chemically induced, Risk Factors, Solvents adverse effects, Disease Outbreaks, Folic Acid blood, Folic Acid cerebrospinal fluid, Folic Acid Deficiency complications, Formates blood, Formates cerebrospinal fluid, Optic Nerve Diseases epidemiology
- Abstract
We studied 62 patients aged 48 years as an average and diagnosed with bilateral optical neuropathy during an epidemics in Pinar del Río province. Of these patients, 42 showed the optical form whereas 20 had the mixed form of optical neuropathy. We researched into the levels of formate and folate in serum and cerebrospinal fluid samples and we found a marked deficiency of folates in more than 50% of samples and high formate concentration levels in almost 25% of samples. We concluded that nutritional shortages that lead to a reduction of folates, and the intake of small amounts of methanol in alcoholic drinks could lead to lacking energetic states which would facilitate that the optical nerve be affected and the epidemic optical neuropathy appear.
- Published
- 2000