Re: ? for - Do patients with RA established on MTX and folic acid 5 mg daily need to continue folic acid?

[Guest guest]

, I have a question for you about the conclusions of this study.

When it says that folic acid is helpful in preventing neutropenia, does

that mean that taking it could improve one's white blood cell count?

I'm not on mtx now, but take 1 mg of folic acid because I'm on

metformin. Could I improve my WBC count by upping my dose, do you think?

Sue

Conclusions. It is important to continue FA supplementation over the

long term in patients on methotrexate and FA in order to prevent them

discontinuing treatment because of mouth ulcers or nausea and vomiting.

Our data suggest that FA supplementation is also helpful in preventing

neutropenia, with very little loss of efficacy of methotrexate.

On Tuesday, April 18, 2006, at 10:25 PM, wrote:

> Rheumatology 2000; 39: 1102-1109

> © 2000 British Society for Rheumatology

>

>

> " Do patients with rheumatoid arthritis established on methotrexate and

> folic

> acid 5 mg daily need to continue folic acid supplements long term? " :

>

> http://rheumatology.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/39/10/1102

[Guest guest]

Well, Sue, you can't conclude from the study that folic acid supplementation

can improve your WBC count. They excluded patients who at baseline had a low

WBC and/or a low neutrophil count from participating in the study. Also, the

total WBC and the neutrophil count are separate measures.

But, generally speaking, folic acid is needed to produce white blood cells,

so it may help.

Not an MD

I'll tell you where to go!

Mayo Clinic in Rochester

http://www.mayoclinic.org/rochester

s Hopkins Medicine

http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org

Re: [ ] ? for - Do patients with RA established on MTX

and folic acid 5 mg daily need to continue folic acid?

, I have a question for you about the conclusions of this study.

When it says that folic acid is helpful in preventing neutropenia, does

that mean that taking it could improve one's white blood cell count?

I'm not on mtx now, but take 1 mg of folic acid because I'm on

metformin. Could I improve my WBC count by upping my dose, do you think?

Sue

Conclusions. It is important to continue FA supplementation over the

long term in patients on methotrexate and FA in order to prevent them

discontinuing treatment because of mouth ulcers or nausea and vomiting.

Our data suggest that FA supplementation is also helpful in preventing

neutropenia, with very little loss of efficacy of methotrexate.

On Tuesday, April 18, 2006, at 10:25 PM, wrote:

> Rheumatology 2000; 39: 1102-1109

> © 2000 British Society for Rheumatology

>

>

> " Do patients with rheumatoid arthritis established on methotrexate and

> folic

> acid 5 mg daily need to continue folic acid supplements long term? " :

>

> http://rheumatology.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/39/10/1102

[Guest guest]

Thanks, . I think I'll double my dosage of folic acid and see if it

helps.

Sue

On Wednesday, April 19, 2006, at 09:06 AM, wrote:

> Well, Sue, you can't conclude from the study that folic acid

> supplementation

> can improve your WBC count. They excluded patients who at baseline had

> a low

> WBC and/or a low neutrophil count from participating in the study.

> Also, the

> total WBC and the neutrophil count are separate measures.

>

> But, generally speaking, folic acid is needed to produce white blood

> cells,

> so it may help.