Abstract
Blood ascorbic acid content was in normal range in patients with rheumatic fever, but was low in rheumatoid arthritis. However in the acute phase of rheumatic fever, increase of the content was observed, while it was remarkably low in active stage of rheumatoid arthritis. Aspirin treatment caused a decrease of blood ascorbic acid level in every case. Urinary excretion ratio of ascorbic acid after intravenous administration of 100mg of ascorbic acid was remarkably low in rheumatic diseases. However, the ratio increased to the normal value in parallel with improvement of acute symptoms. Blood ascorbic acid level showed positive correlation with serum mucoprotein level and urinary excretion of 17-ketosteroid in rheumatic fever, while negative correlation was observed in rheumatoid arthritis. Ascorbic acid administration restained the increase of urinary excretion of 17-ketosteroid caused by steroid treatment, while in two female patients such an effect of ascorbic acid was not observed.
