Table 3.
Selected studies pertaining to the efficacy behind Vitamin C supplementation for patients with diseases and/or viral infections.
| Author | Viral infection | Age | Dose | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zabet et al. 2016 Type: RCT |
Sepsis | 18-65 years old | -Vitamin C (25mg/kg) every 6 hours | -28 day mortality was significantly lower (14.28% vs. 64.28%, respectively; P = 0.009) |
| Fowler et al. 2019 -Type: double blinded, RCT |
Patients with Sepsis or ARDS for less than 24 hours | Mean age of 54.8 years old | -IV infusion of vitamin C (50 mg/kg in dextrose 5% in water, n=84) every 6 hours | -No significant difference in mean modified SOFA score, C-reactive protein or thrombomodulin levels -HOWEVER, strong indication of lower all-cause mortality in vit C group |
| Sawyer et al. 1986 Type: RCT |
Patients with ARDS | N/A | -IV injection of vitamin C (1000 mg) every 6 hours | -Dramatic reduction in mortality in vit. C group compared with control (37% vs. 71% (p<.01)) |
| Fowler et al. 2014 Type: Double Blinded, RCT |
Patients in MICU with severe Sepsis | 30-70 years old in low dose group 49-92 years old in high dose group 54-68 years old in placebo group |
-Low dose group: IV Vitamin C (50 mg/kg/24 h, n=8) -High dose group: IV Vitamin C (200 mg/kg/24 h, n=8) -Placebo group: IV (5% dextrose/water, n=8) |
-SOFA score -Hi: 10.4±4.4 -Lo: 10.1±2.0 -Placebo: 13.3±2.9 -Vit. C groups decreased levels of C-reactive protein and procalcitonin -No significant difference between thrombomodulin levels between groups |
| Marik et al. 2017 Type: Retrospective clinical study |
Patients diagnosed with severe Sepsis of septic shock | Study group mean age was 58.3 years old Control group mean age was 62.2 years old |
-Patients treated with triple therapy of hydrocortisone, HDIVC, Thiamine |
-Mortality rate -Treatment: 8.5% (4 of 47) - Control: 40.4% (19 of 47) *(P < .001) -72 hr ΔSOFA -Treatment: 4.8 ± 2.4 -Control: 0.9 ± 2.7 *(P<.001) |
| Fujii et al. 2020 Type: RCT |
Patients in ICUs suffering from Sepsis | Mean age 61.7 years old | -Intervention group: IV vitamin C (1.5 g every 6 hours), hydrocortisone (50 mg every 6 hours), thiamine (200 mg every 12 hours) -Control group: IV hydrocortisone (50 mg every 6 hours) |
-No difference in time alive and free of vasopressor administration up to 7 days between intervention group and control group (122.1 hours vs. 124.6 hours; respectively) -ninety-day mortality -28.6% (intervention group) vs. 24.5% (control group) |
| Hemilä et al. 2013 Type: meta-analysis |
Patients suffering from the common cold | N/A | -First arm: 29 trials with vitamin C supplementation (>.2 g/day) -Second arm: 31 trials with regular vitamin C intake (>.2 g/day) -Third arm: 7 trials with therapeutic use of IV or oral vitamin C (>.2 g/day) |
-First arm -Risk Ratio of .97 -Second arm -Regular vit C reduced cold duration by 8% in adult population studied -Regular vit C reduced cold duration by 12% in children population studied -Third arm: no consistent effect of therapeutic use of vit C |
| Fowler et al. 2017 Type: case report |
Single patient presenting with enterovirus/rhinovirus induced ARDS | 20 years old | -high does Intravenous vitamin C injections (200 mg/kg per day) | -12 hours following initiation of treatment, symptoms dramatically improved -mechanical ventilation was discontinued 7 days post treatment -No long term ARDS sequelae noted |