Vitamin C Deficiency in Children: Clinical Characteristics, Testing Patterns and Management Outcomes at a Tertiary...

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Endocrinology
• Nutritional Science
• Clinical Chemistry

Background:

• Vitamin C deficiency, while preventable, can impact child health.
• Understanding prevalence and risk factors in a paediatric setting is crucial for timely intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize vitamin C deficiency in a paediatric tertiary hospital cohort.
• To identify clinical features, management strategies, and outcomes.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of serum vitamin C tests (August 2020 - January 2023).
• Defined deficiency as <40 µmol/L; critical deficiency as ≤10 µmol/L.
• Analyzed demographics, indications, interventions, and follow-up using statistical methods.

Main Results:

• 25.2% of 1350 patients showed vitamin C deficiency; 5.4% were critically deficient.
• Higher rates observed in inpatients and older children; oncology and renal specialties had highest yields.
• Oral vitamin C supplementation improved levels in 90% of critically deficient patients with available follow-up.

Conclusions:

• Vitamin C deficiency is prevalent in this paediatric cohort.
• Enhanced clinical awareness, documentation, and follow-up are recommended to optimize care.
• Early detection and management lead to significant improvement in vitamin C levels.