Pancytopenia and folate deficiency in alcoholics

Abstract

Three alcoholic patients are reported who presented with pancytopenia and macrocytosis due to acute folate deficiency. While folate deficiency is a common finding in alcohol abusers due to abnormalities in diet, intestinal absorption, internal metabolism and excretion, this life-threatening complication has not been well documented. © The Fellowship of Postgraduate Medicine 1987.