LOW-LEVELS OF SERUM ASCORBIC-ACID IN ELDERLY PATIENTS WITH HIP FRACTURE

The serum concentration of ascorbic acid was measured in 40 elderly pa tients with a recent hip fracture and compared to values measured in 1 02 home-living elderly. The concentrations were 37+/-22 mu mol l(-1) v s 50+/-29 mu mol l(-1) (p<0.01). Among the patients admitted from home -living conditions and controls, 20 pairs could be matched with respec t to age, sex and season for the test. Serum ascorbic acid concentrati on was significantly lower in the hip fracture patients (34+/-19 mu mo l l-(1) vs 54+/-30 mu mol l(-1), p<0.01). In the matched pairs, a seas onal variation in serum ascorbic acid concentration was found in the c ontrols, but not in the hip fracture patients. As previous studies hav e found decreased concentrations of several nutritional factors in hip fracture patients, our findings might indicate that a reduced serum c oncentration of ascorbic acid could be a part of a general nutritional insufficiency in several patients with hip fracture.