Sir,
I read the recent publication on plasma folate in HIV-seropositive patients with great interest.[1] Alani et al. concluded that ’plasma folate level is a predictor of anemia in early HIV infections.’[1] Indeed, anemia is common among HIV-seropositive patients and there are many possible causes. In the work by Alani et al., many confounding factors, such as antiretroviral drug therapy and other occult infections, have not been adequately ruled out as the cause of the anemia. In addition, the commonest cause of anemia in any population, iron deficiency, has not been considered. Serum ferritin and iron study should be clarified as well.
REFERENCE
- 1.Alani A, Vincent O, Adewumi A, Titilope A, Onogu E, Ralph A, et al. , Plasma folate studies in HIV-positive patients at the Lagos university teaching hospital, Nigeria. Indian J Sex Transm Dis. 2010;31:99–103. doi: 10.4103/2589-0557.74995. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]