Scurvy is an almost forgotten carential pathology, caused by a deep vitamin C (or ascorbic acid) deficiency, a priori exceptional in industrialized countries. According to the French National Authority for Health standards, hypovitaminosis C is defined as a plasma vitamin C level of less than 23 μmol/L. This deficiency would affect 5 to 10% of the general population in industrialized countries and from 17% (clinical scurvy) to 47% (biological hypovitaminosis C) of vulnerable populations (malnutrition, hospitalized patients...). Vitamin C is essential for collagen synthesis. It plays a cofactor role in the synthesis of catecholamines precursors and takes action in synthesis of certain amino acids. In rheumatology, pain is a recurring reason for consultation. In a context of treated chronic inflammatory rheumatism (RIC), while most of patients seem in remission or in reduced activity of their disease, all real-life studies show that 30 to 40% of them complain of residual pain, 70% of chronic fatigue and 20-25% of symptoms similar to secondary fibromyalgia. Currently, authors suggest the interest of vitamin C analgesic properties, especially in musculoskeletal pain, due to the role of ascorbic acid in neurotransmitters. Vitamin C would act as a cofactor for a family of biosynthetic and regulatory metalloenzymes. Thus, the authors suggest the potential of vitamin C in an analgesic mechanism involving the biosynthesis of opioid peptides.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NA
Purpose
DIAGNOSTIC
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
107
A protocol-specific blood test wil assess the vitamin C level in plasma
Several questionnaire will be completed by patients to evaluate quality of life: Analog and visual scale (EVA) pain, Neuropathic pain (DN) 4 questionnaire, EVA fatigue, Short Form (SF) 12 questionnaire and Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale (HAD questionnaire)
CHU de Nice
Nice, Alpes Maritimes, France
Describe prevalence of hypovitaminose C (ascorbemia below 23 µmol/L) in a population of patients followed for chronic inflammatory rheumatism in remission or lupus in low activity, with chronic residual pain
Among patients followed for chronic inflammatory rheumatism in remission or lupus in low activity, with chronic residual pain and included in this study, the prevalence of hypovitaminosis C will be the proportion of patients with ascorbemia below 23 μmol/L measured at inclusion. Plasma ascorbemia will be measured using HPLC fluorimetric detection, using a Chromsystems kit.
Time frame: at inclusion
Age of patients followed for chronic inflammatory rheumatism in remission or lupus in low activity, with chronic residual pain
Time frame: at inclusion
Sexe of patients followed for chronic inflammatory rheumatism in remission or lupus in low activity, with chronic residual pain
Time frame: at inclusion
Socio-professional category of patients followed for chronic inflammatory rheumatism in remission or lupus in low activity, with chronic residual pain
Time frame: at inclusion
Type of disease of patients followed for chronic inflammatory rheumatism in remission or lupus in low activity, with chronic residual pain
Time frame: at inclusion
Length of illness of patients followed for chronic inflammatory rheumatism in remission or lupus in low activity, with chronic residual pain
Time frame: at inclusion
Type of disease's treatment for patients followed for chronic inflammatory rheumatism in remission or lupus in low activity, with chronic residual pain
Time frame: at inclusion
Pain felt by patients followed for chronic inflammatory rheumatism in remission or lupus in low activity, with chronic residual pain
Pain felt will be assessed with a visual and analog scale for pain which ranges from 0 (no pain) to 10 (maximum imaginable pain)
Time frame: at inclusion
Tiredness felt by patients followed for chronic inflammatory rheumatism in remission or lupus in low activity, with chronic residual pain
Tiredness felt will be assessed with a visual and analog scale for tiredness which ranges from 0 (no tiredness) to 10 (extreme tiredness).
Time frame: at inclusion
Neuropatic pain felt by patients followed for chronic inflammatory rheumatism in remission or lupus in low activity, with chronic residual pain
Neuropatic pain felt will be assessed with the neuropatic pain 4 (DN4) questionnaire, which ranges from 0 to 10. A score greater than 4 indicates a positive test.
Time frame: at inclusion
Quality of life of patients followed for chronic inflammatory rheumatism in remission or lupus in low activity, with chronic residual pain
Quality of life will be assessed with the Short Form 12 (SF12) questionnaire.
Time frame: at inclusion
Anxiety and depression of patients followed for chronic inflammatory rheumatism in remission or lupus in low activity, with chronic residual pain
Anxiety and depression will be assessed with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression (HAD) scale, splited in 2 scores which ranges from 0 to 21. A score less than 7 indicates a lack of symtomatology, a score between 8 and 10 indicates doubtful symptomatology and a score higher than 11 indicates a sure symptomatology.
Time frame: at inclusion
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