NUTRITIONAL SURVEY IN ELDERLY - BLOOD AND URINE VITAMIN LEVELS

Abstract

In a survey of vitamin levels in 93 acute geriatric admissions to a hospital, none had a completely normal nutritional profile. Over 50% of tests were abnormal in 22 patients, and for all patients the average percentage of abnormal tests was 29%. The most common abnormalities were albumin, leukocyte vitamin C, vitamin E, carotene and nicotinic acid where over 50% of patients had abnormal results. Transferrin and vitamin A levels were abnormal in over 30% of patients. There was little evidence for riboflavin or thiamine malnutrition. An inadequate dietary intake due to disease or to physical and mental deterioration was the most likely cause of these multiple nutritional abnormalities.