Early ascorbic acid depletion is related to the severity of acute pancreatitis

Background: Ascorbic acid (AA) is an important endogenous antioxidant in pl asma and has been shown to be decreased at the time of hospital admission i n patients with acute pancreatitis. The aim of this study was to determine whether plasma AA concentration continues to decrease after admission and w hether the extent of decrease is related to the severity of pancreatitis. Methods: Consecutive patients with mild (n = 62) and severe (n = 23) acute pancreatitis had plasma AA concentration measured on the day of recruitment and on days 2 and 5 by high-performance liquid chromatography. Results: The plasma AA concentration in patients with acute pancreatitis wa s significantly less than that in normal volunteers on days 0, 2 and 5 (P < 0.0001) and this was more marked in those with severe disease. There was a decrease in plasma AA concentration from day 0 to day 2 in patients with m ild (P < 0.0001) and severe (P = 0.0005) pancreatitis, and from day 2 to da y 5 in patients with severe pancreatitis (P = 0.023). Conclusion: Endogenous plasma AA continues to decrease over the first 5 day s in hospital and the extent is related to the severity of acute pancreatit is.