Conclusions Our meta- analysis indicates that vitamin C may prevent post-operative atrial fibrillation in some countries outside of the USA , and it may also shorten the duration of hospital stay and ICU stay of cardiac surgery patients .
Vitamin C is an essential nutrient that is safe and inexpensive .
Background Atrial fibrillation ( AF ) , a common arrhythmia contributing substantially to cardiac morbidity , is associated with oxidative stress and , being an antioxidant , vitamin C might influence it .
Reduction of resuscitation fluid volumes in severely burned patients using ascorbic acid administration: a randomized, prospective study.
HYPOTHESIS High-dose ascorbic acid ( vitamin C ) therapy ( 66 mg/kg per hour ) attenuates postburn lipid peroxidation , resuscitation fluid volume requirements , and edema generation in severely burned patients . STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING A prospect i ve , r and omized study at a university trauma and critical care center in Japan . SUBJECTS AND METHODS Thirty-seven patients with burns over more than 30 % of their total body surface area ( TBSA ) hospitalized within 2 hours after injury were r and omly divided into ascorbic acid and control groups . Fluid resuscitation was performed using Ringer lactate solution to maintain stable hemodynamic measurements and adequate urine output ( 0.5 - 1.0 ml/kg per hour ) . In the ascorbic acid group ( n = 19 ; mean burn size , 63 % + /- 26 % TBSA ; mean burn index , 57 + /- 26 ; inhalation injury , 15/ 19 ) , ascorbic acid was infused during the initial 24-hour study period . In the control group ( n = 18 ; mean burn size , 53 % + /- 17 % TBSA ; mean burn index , 47 + /- 13 ; inhalation injury , 12/18 ) , no ascorbic acid was infused . We compared hemodynamic and respiratory measurements , lipid peroxidation , and fluid balance for 96 hours after injury . Two-way analysis of variance and Tukey test were used to analyze the data . RESULTS Heart rate , mean arterial pressure , central venous pressure , arterial pH , base deficit , and urine outputs were equivalent in both groups . The 24-hour total fluid infusion volumes in the control and ascorbic acid groups were 5.5 + /- 3.1 and 3.0 + /- 1.7 mL/kg per percentage of burn area , respectively ( P<.01 ) . In the first 24 hours , the ascorbic acid group gained 9.2 % + /- 8.2 % of pretreatment weight ; controls , 17.8 % + /- 6.9 % . Burned tissue water content was 6.1 + /- 1.8 vs 2.6 + /- 1.7 mL/g of dry weight in the control and ascorbic acid groups , respectively ( P<.01 ) . Fluid retention in the second 24 hours was also significantly reduced in the ascorbic acid group . In the control group , the ratio of PaO2 to fraction of inspired oxygen at 18 , 24 , 36 , 48 , and 72 hours after injury was less than that of the ascorbic acid group ( P<.01 ) . The length of mechanical ventilation in the control and ascorbic acid groups was 21.3 + /- 15.6 and 12.1 + /- 8.8 days , respectively ( P<.05 ) . Serum malondialdehyde levels were lower in the ascorbic acid group at 18 , 24 , and 36 hours after injury ( P<.05 ) . CONCLUSIONS Adjuvant administration of high-dose ascorbic acid during the first 24 hours after thermal injury significantly reduces resuscitation fluid volume requirements , body weight gain , and wound edema . A reduction in the severity of respiratory dysfunction was also apparent in these patients
Conclusions Our meta- analysis indicates that vitamin C may prevent post-operative atrial fibrillation in some countries outside of the USA , and it may also shorten the duration of hospital stay and ICU stay of cardiac surgery patients .
Vitamin C is an essential nutrient that is safe and inexpensive .
Background Atrial fibrillation ( AF ) , a common arrhythmia contributing substantially to cardiac morbidity , is associated with oxidative stress and , being an antioxidant , vitamin C might influence it .