Korean J Hosp Palliat Care.  2014 Dec;17(4):241-247. 10.14475/kjhpc.2014.17.4.241.

Factors Related to Serum Vitamin C Level in Terminally Ill Cancer Patients

• Kim HJ
• Hwang IC
• Yeom CH
• Ahn HY
• Choi YS
• Lee JJ
• Lim SH

• KMID: 2305276
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.14475/kjhpc.2014.17.4.241

Abstract

PURPOSE
Serum vitamin C is one of the indicators for antioxidant levels in the body and it is lower in cancer patients compared with the healthy population. However, there have been few studies on the levels of serum vitamin C in terminally ill cancer patients and related factors.
METHODS
We followed 65 terminal cancer patients who were hospitalized in two palliative care units. We collected data of age, sex, cancer type, functional status, clinical symptoms, history of cancer therapy, and various laboratory findings including serum vitamin C level. Patients were categorized into two groups according to the quartile of serum vitamin C level (Q1-3 vs. Q4), which were compared each other. Stepwise multiple logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors related to serum vitamin C levels.
RESULTS
The mean serum vitamin C level was 0.44 microg/mL, and all patients fell into the category of vitamin C deficiency. Univariate analysis showed that The serum vitamin C level was lower in non-lung cancer patients (P=0.041) and febrile patients (P=0.034). Multivariate analysis adjusted for potential confounders such as lung cancer, fever, dysphagia, dyspnea, C reactive protein, and history of chemotherapy demonstrated that odds for low serum vitamin C level was 3.7 for patients receiving chemotherapy (P=0.046) and 7.22 for febrile patients (P=0.02).
CONCLUSION
Vitamin C deficiency was very severe in terminally ill cancer patients, and it was associated with history of chemotherapy and fever.

Keyword

Neoplasms; Terminal care; Ascorbic acid; Statistical factor analysis

MeSH Terms

Ascorbic Acid Deficiency
Ascorbic Acid*
C-Reactive Protein
Deglutition Disorders
Drug Therapy
Dyspnea
Factor Analysis, Statistical
Fever
Humans
Logistic Models
Lung Neoplasms
Multivariate Analysis
Palliative Care
Terminal Care
Terminally Ill*
Ascorbic Acid
C-Reactive Protein