Multi-center survey on serum folic acid in preschool children in China

LIU Min; ZHANG Qian; YANG Ting; CHEN Jie; CHEN Li; DAI Ying; JIA Feiyong; WU Lijie; HAO Yan; LI Ling; ZHANG Jie; KE Xiaoyan; YI Mingji; HONG Qi; CHEN Jinjin; FANG Shuanfeng; WANG Yichao; WANG Qi; JIN Chunhua; LI Tingyu

doi:10.11852/zgetbjzz2022-1527

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Chinese Journal of Child Health Care ›› 2023, Vol. 31 ›› Issue (7) : 713-717. DOI: 10.11852/zgetbjzz2022-1527

Basic Experimental Articles

Multi-center survey on serum folic acid in preschool children in China

LIU Min¹, ZHANG Qian¹, YANG Ting¹, CHEN Jie¹, CHEN Li¹, DAI Ying¹, JIA Feiyong², WU Lijie³, HAO Yan⁴, LI Ling⁵, ZHANG Jie⁶, KE Xiaoyan⁷, YI Mingji⁸, HONG Qi⁹, CHEN Jinjin¹⁰, FANG Shuanfeng¹¹, WANG Yichao¹², WANG Qi¹³, JIN Chunhua¹⁴, LI Tingyu¹

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Objective To understand the situation of the serum folic acid level and folic acid deficiency in Chinese preschool children, and to compare them with the current reference range of serum folic acid provided by WHO and the United States US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), so as to provide basis and suggestions for the establishment of the reference value of serum folic acid for Chinese preschool children. Methods From May 2018 to December 2019, children were recruited from 13 cities across five geographical regions in China, and finally a sample of 1 373 healthy children under 7 years old was obtained. Serum folic acid level was quantitatively determined by automatic chemiluminescence immunoassay (mindray, CL-1000i, China). Results The overall serum folic acid level was 12.46 (10.08~15.35)ng/mL, and the reference interval (P₅-P₉₅) ranged from 6.89 to 21.00ng/mL. Taking serum folic acid level <2ng/mL (CDC standard), ＜4ng/mL (WHO standard) and <6.89ng/mL(P₅ in this study) as the threshold values for serum folic acid deficiency, the number of folic acid deficiency in this population was 0, 3 (0.22%) and 66 (4.81%), respectively. The difference in serum folic acid level between different age groups was statistically significant (F=1.244, P<0.05). Serum folic acid level was negatively correlated with age (β=-0.998), and has no significant correlation with WAZ, HAZ and BMI. There was no statistical difference in serum folic acid level between boys and girls among children in different age groups (P＞0.05). Conclusion The determination of serum folic acid deficiency at a single threshold point is not applicable to preschool children, and the reference value of serum folic acid level should be set according to age.

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preschool children / serum folic acid / China multi-center autism projiet

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LIU Min, ZHANG Qian, YANG Ting, CHEN Jie, CHEN Li, DAI Ying, JIA Feiyong, WU Lijie, HAO Yan, LI Ling, ZHANG Jie, KE Xiaoyan, YI Mingji, HONG Qi, CHEN Jinjin, FANG Shuanfeng, WANG Yichao, WANG Qi, JIN Chunhua, LI Tingyu. Multi-center survey on serum folic acid in preschool children in China[J]. Chinese Journal of Child Health Care. 2023, 31(7): 713-717 https://doi.org/10.11852/zgetbjzz2022-1527

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