Metabolism of ascorbic acid in rheumatoid arthritis

(1) It has been confirmed that rheumatoid arthritis patients have a lower plasma level and a lower urinary excretion of ascorbic acid than non -rheumatoid controls receiving the same intake of ascorbic acid.(2) It has been shown that these patients require a longer time to reach saturation with the vitamin, on a standard daily dose, than control subjects.(3) It has been shown also that rheumatoid arthritis patients have a lower level of ascorbic acid in the leucocytes, a higher dehydroascorbic acid concentration in the plasma and a higher ascorbic acid concentration in the erythrocytes than do normal subjects on the same dietary intake.(4) Patients with rheumatoid arthritis excrete less oxalic acid than do non -rheumatoid controls and show a smaller increase in excretion of oxalic acid after a large intravenous dose of ascorbic acid.(5) The implication of these findings has been discussed and points requiring further investigation have been suggested