Leucocyte ascorbic acid concentration and plasma ascorbic acid levels in children with various infections.

In this study leucocyte ascorbic acid concentrations and plasma ascorbic acid levels were measured simultaneously and correlation between these two variables was sought in various bacterial and viral infections. A total of 258 patients were studied. The control group consisted of 21 healthy children in the same age group. Except for scarlet fever no significant differences were observed between the patients' leucocyte ascorbic acid levels during and after the infections and also no differences were observed in leucocyte ascorbic acid levels between control's and patient's. However plasma ascorbic acid values were significantly decreased during infection in all patients. During infection ascorbic acid is utilized rapidly, and our findings seem to indicate that there is transfer of ascorbic acid from plasma to leucocytes in order to keep the leucocyte ascorbic acid levels within normal limits.