Serum levels assessment of vitamin A, E, C, B2and carotenoids in malnourished and non-malnourished hospitalized elderly patients

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Aims & methods: Serum levels of vitamins A, E, C, B2and carotenoids were determined in protein-energy malnourished (PEM, with body mass index, BMI<18.5 kg/m2) and non-PEM (BMI±18.5 kg/m2) hospitalized elderly (age ≥ 65 years) patients, in the University Hospital of Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo University.Results: PEM (n=21) and non-PEM (n=106) patients were paired for age (73.6±7.3 vs. 71.6±5.6 years) and male percentage (65.1 vs. 52.4%). As expected, PEM elderly showed lower (P<0.05) body weight (median 43.1; range: 29.9–51.4 vs. 58.1; range: 45.7–143.5 kg), triceps skinfold (5.2±3.1 vs. 10.1±4.9 mm), and mid-arm muscle circumference (20.3±2.5 vs. 23.1±3.4 cm). Serum albumin (4.0±0.9 vs. 4.1±0.7 g/dl) and total lymphocytes count (1918.3±919 vs. 1842.7±862 mm3) were similar, respectively, among PEM and non-PEM patients. The percentage of biochemical riboflavin deficiency (58.8 vs. 56.2), low serum levels of vitamin A (28.6 vs. 29.6) and vitamin E (18.7 vs. 25) were similar, respectively, between PEM and non-PEM groups. The prevalence of low serum levels of water soluble vitamins was higher (P<0.01) in malnourished elderly than in the non-PEM group (ascorbic acid, 80.9 vs. 56.7%, and carotenoids, 14.3 vs. 3%, respectively).Conclusions: These results suggest that hospitalized malnourished elderly show high percentage of low water soluble vitamin serum levels, a phenomenon possibly linked to decreased food intake, especially fruits and vegetables.