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Deficiência de folato

Última revisão das evidências: 13 Apr 2026
Última atualização do tópico: 04 Feb 2026

Resumo

Definição

História e exame físico

Principais fatores diagnósticos

  • presença de fatores de risco
Detalhes completos

Outros fatores diagnósticos

  • diarreia prolongada
  • perda de apetite e perda de peso
  • fadiga
  • dispneia
  • tontura
  • palidez
  • cefaleia
  • taquicardia
  • taquipneia
  • sopro cardíaco
  • sinais de insuficiência cardíaca
  • sinais de transtornos decorrentes do uso de bebidas alcoólicas
  • sinais de anemia hemolítica
  • sinais de dermatite esfoliativa
  • deglutição dolorosa
  • petéquias
  • glossite
  • estomatite angular
  • deficits neurológicos em crianças
Detalhes completos

Fatores de risco

  • baixa ingestão alimentar de folato
  • transtornos decorrentes do uso de bebidas alcoólicas
  • gestantes ou lactantes
  • prematuridade
  • síndromes de má absorção intestinal
  • uso de determinados medicamentos
  • defeitos congênitos na absorção e no metabolismo do folato
  • estados de renovação celular elevada
  • dieta especial
  • diálise crônica
Detalhes completos

Investigações diagnósticas

Primeiras investigações a serem solicitadas

  • esfregaço de sangue periférico
  • Hemograma completo
  • contagem de reticulócitos
Detalhes completos

Investigações a serem consideradas

  • folato sérico
  • folato eritrocitário
  • vitamina B12 sérica
  • lactato desidrogenase (LDH) sérico
  • bilirrubina sérica não conjugada
  • painel do ferro sérico
  • ácido metilmalônico sérico ou plasmático
  • homocisteína plasmática
  • aspirado/biópsia de medula óssea
Detalhes completos

Algoritmo de tratamento

Inicial

com risco de deficiência de folato em decorrência de gravidez ou lactação

com risco de deficiência de folato por causa de distúrbios de má absorção, distúrbio hemolítico crônico ou diálise crônica

com risco de deficiência de folato devido a determinados medicamentos

AGUDA

adquirida: macrocitose sem anemia

adquirida: anemia macrocítica

congênita: má absorção hereditária do folato

congênita: poliformismos de metilenotetraidrofolato redutase (MTHFR)

congênita: deficiência de transporte de folato cerebral

Colaboradores

Autores

Aśok C. Antony, MD, MACP

Chancellor’s Professor of Medicine

Division of Hematology-Oncology

Department of Medicine

Indiana University School of Medicine

Indianapolis

IN

Disclosures

ACA declares that he has no competing interests.

Acknowledgements

Dr Aśok C. Antony would like to gratefully acknowledge Dr Mark Koury, Dr Allison Wheeler, Dr Mohammed Sika, Dr Lakshmi V. Srivaths, and Donald Mahoney Jr., previous contributors to this topic.

Disclosures

MK, AW, MS, LVS, and DM declare that they have no competing interests.

Peer reviewers

Ralph Green, MD, PhD, FRCPath

Professor and Chair

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

University of California Davis School of Medicine

Sacramento

CA

Disclosures

RG is the author of reference(s) cited in this topic.

Jack Metz, MB, BCh, MD, DSc(Med), FRCPath, FCAP, FRCPA, FRS(SA), DSc Med(Hon Caus)

Emeritus Professor and Consultant Haematologist

Dorevitch Pathology

Heidelberg

Victoria

Australia

Disclosures

JM declares that he has no competing interests.

Peer reviewer acknowledgements

BMJ Best Practice topics are updated on a rolling basis in line with developments in evidence and guidance. The peer reviewers listed here have reviewed the content at least once during the history of the topic.

Disclosures

Peer reviewer affiliations and disclosures pertain to the time of the review.

References

Our in-house evidence and editorial teams collaborate with international expert contributors and peer reviewers to ensure that we provide access to the most clinically relevant information possible.

Key articles

Pfeiffer CM, Sternberg MR, Zhang M, et al. Folate status in the US population 20 y after the introduction of folic acid fortification. Am J Clin Nutr. 2019 Nov 1;110(5):1088-97.Full text  Abstract

Allen LH. Causes of vitamin B12 and folate deficiency. Food Nutr Bull. 2008 Jun;29(2 suppl):S20-34. Abstract

Whitehead VM. Acquired and inherited disorders of cobalamin and folate in children. Br J Haematol. 2006 Jul;134(2):125-36.Full text  Abstract

MRC Vitamin Study Research Group. Prevention of neural tube defects: results of the Medical Research Council Vitamin Study. Lancet. 1991 Jul 20;338(8760):131-7. Abstract

Reference articles

A full list of sources referenced in this topic is available to users with access to all of BMJ Best Practice.
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