A nutritional survey in the elderly: blood and urine vitamin levels

In this survey of vitamin levels in 93 acute geriatric admissions to hospital, none had a completely normal nutritional profile. Twenty-two patients had over 50% of test abnormal and for all patients the average % of abnormal tests was 29%. The most common abnormalities were albumin, leucocyte vitamin C, vitamin E, carotene and nicotinic acid where over 50% of patients had abnormal results. Transferrin and vitamin A levels were abnormal in over 30% of patients while there was little evidence for riboflavin or thiamine malnutrition. It is postulated that an inadequate dietary intake, due to disease or to physical and mental deterioration was the most likely cause of these multiple nutritional abnormalities.