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Leucocyte ascorbic acid in Crohn's disease

R G Hughes, N Williams

    Digestion
    |January 1, 1978
    PubMed

    Insights

    Patients with Crohn's disease have lower leucocyte ascorbic acid levels, likely due to the condition itself. Supplementing with ascorbic acid is recommended to address this deficiency.

    Area of Science:

    • Biochemistry
    • Gastroenterology
    • Nutritional Science

    Background:

    • Crohn's disease is associated with various nutritional deficiencies.
    • Ascorbic acid (vitamin C) plays a crucial role in immune function and tissue repair.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To investigate leucocyte ascorbic acid levels in Crohn's disease patients.
    • To determine if disease activity or treatment affects these levels.
    • To assess the appropriateness of ascorbic acid supplementation.

    Main Methods:

    • Comparison of leucocyte ascorbic acid levels between Crohn's disease patients and healthy controls.
    • Analysis to differentiate the cause of deficiency (disease vs. treatment).

    Main Results:

    • Leucocyte ascorbic acid levels were significantly lower in Crohn's disease patients compared to controls.
    • The deficiency was attributed to the disease process, not drug or surgical treatments.

    Conclusions:

    • Crohn's disease patients exhibit a deficiency in ascorbic acid.
    • Supplementary ascorbic acid is a suitable intervention to correct this observed deficiency.

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