Folic-Acid Studies in Megaloblastic Anaemia Due to Primidone

Abstract

Folic-acid studies were carried out on a patient who developed a severe megaloblastic anaemia while being treated with the anticonvulsant drug primidone. The absorption of folic acid was found to be normal. However, by contrast with megaloblastic anaemia due to folic-acid deficiency the tissue stores of folic acid were normal. It is concluded that the anaemia was not due to folic-acid deficiency but to interference with the tissue metabolism of folic acid. © 1958, British Medical Journal Publishing Group. All rights reserved.