Role of blood vitamin c levels in post-operative wound healing

Background: Management of post-operative wounds is very challenging now a days as there are many factors which interfere in the normal physiology of wound healing. Vitamin C, a water-soluble vitamin, facilitates wound healing by enhancing the protective mechanism of the immune system and accelerates healing process through the synthesis of collagen. Methods: In this prospective study, we seek to determine the role of Vitamin C in wound healing by determining its blood levels in 60 post-operative in-patients who had had elective or emergency surgery including those with co-morbid conditions like diabetes, hypertension and chronic kidney disease. All of them had their blood Vitamin C levels assayed and those with Vitamin C deficiency were supplemented with Vitamin C tablets and their wound status assessed over their recovery period. Data are expressed as percentages and Pearson Chi-square test was used compare the frequency between the groups and p<0.005 was considered statistically significant. Results: 22 patients had vitamin C deficiency of whom 20 patients had post-operative wound improvement with high dose vitamin C supplementation and 2 had poor wound healing (p<0.001). Conclusion: We conclude that supplementation of high dose vitamin C (1000mg/day) to patients with deficiency significantly hastened wound healing with improved final outcomes.