Lazareth I, Hubert S, Michon-Pasturel U, Priollet P, et al.
Journal des maladies vasculaires. Date of publication 2007 Apr 1;volume 32(2):96-9.
1. J Mal Vasc. 2007 Apr;32(2):96-9.
[Vitamin C deficiency and leg ulcers. A case control study].
[Article in French]
Lazareth I(1), Hubert S, Michon-Pasturel U, Priollet P.
Author information:
(1)Service de médecine vasculaire, groupe hospitalier Paris-Saint-Joseph, 185,
rue Raymond-Losserand, Paris 75675 cedex 14, France. ic.lazareth@wanadoo.fr
Vitamin C is a necessary cofactor for collagen synthesis. A deficiency of vitamin
C results in the breakdown of connective tissue in and around the walls of blood
vessels. The disease is thus characterized by poor healing of wounds. Chronic leg
ulcers are defined as wounds that do not heal.OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether
patients with chronic leg ulcers have vitamin C deficiency.
METHODS: Case control study; vitamin C was assayed in peripheral blood samples of
42 consecutive patients with chronic leg ulcers and in 37 consecutive patients
without chronic leg ulcers. Patients without leg ulcers had peripheral vascular
disease, or hypertension, or connective disorders. Patients with diabetes,
immunodepression (cancer, HIV infection, corticosteroid therapy) and aged under
65 years were excluded. Reference range for plasma vitamin C was above 26
micromol/l (normal levels, group I), hypovitaminosis C as 6-26 micromol/l (group
II) and concentrations<6 micromol/l as scurvy (group III).
RESULTS: Mean age was 77.2 years in the ulcers group and 73.8 in the control
group (NS), mean weight 73.1 kg in the ulcers group and 67.5 kg in the control
group (NS). Smoking was more frequent in the control group (P<0.001). Mean
vitamin C levels were lower in the leg ulcers group: 23.9 vs 33.8 micromol/l
(P<0.003). Normal levels of vitamin C (group I) were more frequent in the control
group: 78.4 vs 50% (P<0.01). Hypovitaminosis C (group II) was more frequent in
the leg ulcers group: 23.8 vs 16.2% (P<0.01). Scurvy was more frequent in the leg
ulcers group: 26.2 vs 5.4% (P<0.01). C reactive protein levels were higher in the
leg ulcers group: 31.8 vs 9.3 mg (P=0.002) and albumin levels were lower in the
leg ulcers group: 25 vs 38 g/l (P=0.01) [retrospective data].
CONCLUSION: Patients with chronic leg ulcers have lower levels of vitamin C than
patients without leg ulcers, although smoking was more frequent in patients
without leg ulcers. The question is whether vitamin C deficiency is a cofactor of
impaired healing or is a simple marker of poor healing? It would be interesting
to conduct a randomized controlled study about treatment of chronic leg ulcers
with vitamin C.
DOI: 10.1016/j.jmv.2007.02.003
PMID: 17475430 [Indexed for MEDLINE]
