Abstract
BackgroundTo measure ascorbic acid concentration in aqueous humor of patients with cataract after oral or intravenous vitamin C supplementation.MethodsForty-two eyes of 42 patients with senile cataract who underwent uncomplicated cataract surgery were enrolled. Patients (n = 14 each) were administered oral vitamin C (2 g), intravenous vitamin C (20 g) or no treatment (control group) on the day before surgery. Samples of aqueous humor (0.1 cm3) were obtained by anterior chamber aspiration at the beginning of surgery and stored at −80 °C. Ascorbic acid concentration in aqueous humor was measured by high-pressure liquid chromatography.ResultsThe mean age at surgery was 62.5 years, with no difference among the three groups. The mean ± standard deviation concentrations of ascorbic acid in aqueous humor in the control and oral and intravenous vitamin C groups were 1347 ± 331 μmol/L, 1859 ± 408 μmol/L and 2387 ± 445 μmol/L, respectively. Ascorbic acid concentration was significantly lower in the control than in the oral (P < 0.01) and intravenous (P < 0.001) vitamin C groups and was significantly higher in the intravenous than in the oral vitamin C group (P < 0.05).ConclusionsAscorbic acid concentration in aqueous humor is increased by systemic vitamin C supplementation, with intravenous administration being more effective than oral administration.
Highlights
To measure ascorbic acid concentration in aqueous humor of patients with cataract after oral or intravenous vitamin C supplementation
The concentration of vitamin C in aqueous humor of patients with age-related cataract decreases with age of the patient, suggesting that this decrease may play a role in susceptibility to cataract formation in older people [4, 5]
Ascorbic acid concentration was significantly lower in the control than in the oral (P < 0.01) and intravenous (P < 0.001) vitamin
Summary
To measure ascorbic acid concentration in aqueous humor of patients with cataract after oral or intravenous vitamin C supplementation. Vitamins are essential nutrients required for various biological processes in the body. Because they cannot be synthesized in the body, vitamins must be ingested in foods. The concentration of ascorbate is about 15 times greater in the aqueous humor of the eye than in plasma, suggesting that vitamin C may protect against harmful factors within the eye [3]. The concentration of vitamin C in aqueous humor of patients with age-related cataract decreases with age of the patient (from 50 to 70 years old), suggesting that this decrease may play a role in susceptibility to cataract formation in older people [4, 5]. Vitamin C concentrations in aqueous humor are lower in patients with various ophthalmic diseases. The concentration of vitamin C in the anterior chamber has been reported lower in
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