The validity of biochemical assessment of thiamine, riboflavin and folacin nutriture
Kaufmann, N.A.; Guggenheim, K.
International Journal for Vitamin and Nutrition Research. Internationale Zeitschrift für Vitamin- und Ernahrungsforschung. Journal International de Vitaminologie et de Nutrition 47(1): 40-45
1977
ISSN/ISBN: 0300-9831 PMID: 844947 Document Number: 124189
Thiamin in urine and the thiamin pyrophosphate (TPP) effect of erythrocyte transketolase activity were studied in 109 subjects, excretion of riboflavin and erythrocyte glutathione reductase in 81 subjects and erythrocyte and serum folacin in 91 subjects. All the subjects were healthy elderly people living in an old people's home in Jerusalem. There was a close inverse correlation between the TPP effect of erythrocyte transketolase and thiamin excretion in urine, r=-0.33. Correlation coefficient for glutathione reductase and riboflavin was r=-0.33 and for erythrocyte folacin and serum folacin 0.77. Sensitivity and specificity of the excretion tests and of serum folacin were defined according to Wilson (Journal of Clinical Pathology (1973) 26, 555). When "deficient" and "low" values were defined as "not acceptable" and compared with "acceptable" values, sensitivity of thiamin excretion was 54, of riboflavin excretion 33 and serum folacin 90%. Respective values of specificity were 75, 83 and 37%. Sensitivity of thiamin excretion and of serum folacin increased when stricter criteria of insufficiency were applied and assessment of "deficiency" of these vitamins rather than of non-acceptability was attempted.