Nutritional Folic Acid Deficiency with Megaloblastic Changes in the Small-Bowel Epithelium

Abstract

MEGALOBLASTIC changes in the intestinal epithelium are uncommon. In a recent report, Foroozan and Trier1 documented megaloblastic changes in the jejunal epithelium of eight patients with pernicious anemia. Earlier studies by Winawer et al.2 failed to demonstrate any specific changes in the jejunal epithelium of patients with nutritional folic acid deficiency.Recently, we observed a malnourished alcoholic patient with severe nutritional folic acid deficiency and megaloblastic changes in the small-bowel mucosa. These changes disappeared after folate therapy.Case ReportR.J., a 52-year-old man, was admitted to Fitzsimons General Hospital with a history of long standing chronic alcoholism, several months of . . .