Vitamin C status of elderly patients on admission into an assessment geriatric ward.

A study of the plasma vitamin C concentration in patients in an assessment geriatric ward was carried out for 1 year. The incidence of vitamin C deficiency, as reflected by the plasma vitamin C level was 40.1%. There was almost no difference in its prevalence amongst the sexes or various age groups, but the incidence of vitamin C deficiency was highest in patients admitted from institutions. Furthermore, this study also revealed that patients with certain illnesses were more vulnerable to vitamin C deficiency than other patients and the standard hospital diet alone was not sufficient to improve the vitamin C status of these patients in the short-term.