TY - JOUR
T1 - Poor vitamin C status is associated with increased depression symptoms following acute illness in older people
AU - Gariballa, Salah
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2014 Hans Huber Publishers, Hogrefe AG, Bern.
PY - 2014
Y1 - 2014
N2 - Background: Vitamin C has important physical and mental health benefits and plasma concentrations reflect recent intakes. Inflammation associated with any acute illness can lead to poor appetite and low food intake in older people. The aims of this report were to assess the prevalence and clinical significance of vitamin C deficiency among hospitalized acutely-ill older patients. Methods: Three hundred and twenty two patients (152 [47 %] female), aged 65 yrs. and over who took part in a randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled trial had their nutritional status assessed from anthropometric, hematological and biochemical data at baseline, and after 6 weeks and 6 months. Vitamin C was measured using a fluorimetric technique and logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the influence of a number of clinical indicators, including tissue inflammation measured using C-reactive protein on vitamin C concentrations. Clinical outcome measures including symptoms of depression were also compared between patients with vitamin C deficiency and those with normal levels. Results: At baseline, 116 (36 %) patients had a vitamin C concentration below 11 μmol/L indicating biochemical depletion. The figures at 6 weeks and 6 months were 28 (22 %) and 44 (28 %) patients, respectively. Older age, male gender, smoking, increased dependency and tissue inflammation were associated with lower vitamin C concentrations. Patients with vitamin C biochemical depletion had significantly increased symptoms of depression compared with those with higher concentrations at baseline (p = 0.035) and at 6 weeks (p = 0.028). Conclusions: A high proportion of older patients had sub-optimal vitamin C status and this was associated with increased symptoms of depression.
AB - Background: Vitamin C has important physical and mental health benefits and plasma concentrations reflect recent intakes. Inflammation associated with any acute illness can lead to poor appetite and low food intake in older people. The aims of this report were to assess the prevalence and clinical significance of vitamin C deficiency among hospitalized acutely-ill older patients. Methods: Three hundred and twenty two patients (152 [47 %] female), aged 65 yrs. and over who took part in a randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled trial had their nutritional status assessed from anthropometric, hematological and biochemical data at baseline, and after 6 weeks and 6 months. Vitamin C was measured using a fluorimetric technique and logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the influence of a number of clinical indicators, including tissue inflammation measured using C-reactive protein on vitamin C concentrations. Clinical outcome measures including symptoms of depression were also compared between patients with vitamin C deficiency and those with normal levels. Results: At baseline, 116 (36 %) patients had a vitamin C concentration below 11 μmol/L indicating biochemical depletion. The figures at 6 weeks and 6 months were 28 (22 %) and 44 (28 %) patients, respectively. Older age, male gender, smoking, increased dependency and tissue inflammation were associated with lower vitamin C concentrations. Patients with vitamin C biochemical depletion had significantly increased symptoms of depression compared with those with higher concentrations at baseline (p = 0.035) and at 6 weeks (p = 0.028). Conclusions: A high proportion of older patients had sub-optimal vitamin C status and this was associated with increased symptoms of depression.
KW - Acute illness
KW - Older people
KW - Vitamin C
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U2 - 10.1024/0300-9831/a000188
DO - 10.1024/0300-9831/a000188
M3 - Article
C2 - 25835231
AN - SCOPUS:84930160644
SN - 0300-9831
VL - 84
SP - 12
EP - 17
JO - Internationale Zeitschrift fur Vitaminforschung. International journal of vitamin research. Journal international de vitaminologie
JF - Internationale Zeitschrift fur Vitaminforschung. International journal of vitamin research. Journal international de vitaminologie
IS - 1-2
ER -