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Low levels of serum vitamin C in children with limb fractures: a case-control study

Yangkun Ding1, Chunhua Wang1, Jiazhi Yu1

  • 1Department of Pediatric Orthopedics, Jinan Children's Hospital, Jinan, China.

Frontiers in Pediatrics
|October 2, 2023
PubMed

Insights

Children with limb fractures show significantly lower serum vitamin C levels. This deficiency is more pronounced in children aged 4 and older, highlighting vitamin C

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Orthopedics
  • Nutritional Biochemistry

Background:

  • The role of vitamin C in pediatric fractures is understudied.
  • Vitamin C is recognized for its role in preventing osteoporotic fractures in the elderly.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate serum vitamin C levels in children diagnosed with limb fractures.
  • To compare vitamin C levels between pediatric fracture patients and a control group.

Main Methods:

  • A case-control study involving 325 children with limb fractures and 316 controls.
  • Data collected included basic demographics and fasting serum vitamin C levels.
  • Serum vitamin C was quantified using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

Main Results:

  • Children with limb fractures exhibited significantly lower serum vitamin C levels (4.48 µg/ml) compared to controls (8.38 µg/ml) (p < 0.0001).
  • Serum vitamin C levels decreased significantly in fracture patients over 4 years of age.
  • A negative correlation was observed between age and serum vitamin C levels in the fracture group.

Conclusions:

  • Pediatric limb fractures are associated with reduced serum vitamin C levels.
  • The findings suggest a potential link between vitamin C status and fracture risk in children, particularly older children.
Abstract

Keywords:
ascorbic acidfracturepediatricserumvitamin C

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