The relationship between vitamin C and frailty among elderly patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Abstract

Background/Purpose: Nutritional intake including vitamins as vitamin C may affect muscle power and prevent the development of diabetes mellitus in humans by various mechanisms. This why we conduct this case control study to detect relation between vitamin C and DM control and frailty in elderly patients. Methods: A case control study was conducted among 88 elderly patients aged 60 years and older with type 2 diabetes mellitus were recruited via purposive sampling from the inpatient ward and outpatient clinics of Ain Shams university hospitals from March to December 2019. They were classified according to Hemoglobin A1c levels as controlled and uncontrolled groups. Then, they were further subdivided into frail and non-frail subjects. Comprehensive geriatric assessment, fried criteria and vitamin C levels were measured in all participants. Results: The research showed that vitamin C level was inversely related to Hemoglobin A1c in all studied participants and in frail patients by using Spearman's rank correlation coefficient, as the highest vitamin C levels were found in non-frail patients with controlled diabetes mellitus and the lowest levels were found in frail patients with uncontrolled diabetes mellitus. Frail patients had more cognitive impairment, functional dependence and malnourishment than non-frail ones with statistically high significant difference (P-value is 0.001). Conclusion: Vitamin C levels are affected in elderly patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus by both diabetes mellitus control and frailty. Vitamin C supplementation is recommended for any frail elderly with type 2 diabetes mellitus.