Folate status worsens in recently institutionalized elderly people without evidence of functional deterioration

Objective: To follow folate status, hematological and cognitive changes during the first year of institutionalization among elderly subjects.Design: Prospective study.Setting: Long-stay unit of the Dijon University Geriatric Hospital.Subjects: Twenty women and four men older than 65 years admitted consecutively.Main outcome measures: Folate and vitamin B-6 dietary intake was evaluated by a five-day record on admission (day 1 or d 1), at day 45 (d 45), day 90 (d 90), day 135 (d 135), day 180 (d 180), day 360 (d 360). Circulating levels of folate, vitamin B-6, total homocysteine (tHcy), blood counts and cognitive performance were determined in parallel.Results: From d 1 to d 360, mean folate and vitamin B-6 intakes remained below the French RDA and mean folate intakes decreased significantly (Δ = −10.2%, p <0.05). Mean plasma or erythrocyte folate decreased significantly (Δ = −33.7%, p <0.05 and Δ = −30.2%, p <0.001, respectively) from d 1 to d 360; no significant change was observed for the other blood par...