The Effect of Vitamin C on Pathological Parameters and Survival Duration of Critically Ill Coronavirus Disease 2019 Patients: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Nazanin Majidi,Mohammad Esmail Akbari,Katsuhiko Suzuki,Saeid Doaei,Alireza Moslem,Atiyeh Alizadeh,Mahdi Shadnoosh,Bojlul Bahar,Maryam Gholamalizadeh,Forough Samipoor,Fatemeh Bourbour,Azadeh Hajipour,Somayeh Gholami,Narjes Ashoori,Samira Rastgoo,Faezeh Rabbani

doi:10.3389/fimmu.2021.717816

Abstract

IntroductionVitamin C has been reported to have beneficial effects on patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This study aimed to investigate the effect of vitamin C supplementation on pathological parameters and survival duration of critically ill patients with COVID-19.MethodsThis clinical trial was conducted on 120 hospitalized critically ill patients infected with COVID-19. The intervention group (n = 31) received one capsule of 500 mg of vitamin C daily for 14 days. The control group (n = 69) received the same nutrition except for vitamin C supplements. Measurement of pathological and biochemical parameters was performed at baseline and after 2 weeks of the intervention.ResultsFollowing 2 weeks of vitamin C supplementation, the level of serum K was significantly lower in the patients compared with the control group (3.93 vs. 4.21 mEq/L, p < 0.01). Vitamin C supplementation resulted in a higher mean survival duration compared with that of the control group (8 vs. 4 days, p < 0.01). There was a linear association between the number of days of vitamin C intake and survival duration (B = 1.66, p < 0.001). The vitamin C supplementation had no effect on blood glucose, mean arterial pressure, arterial blood gas (ABG) parameters, Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), kidney function, cell blood count (CBC), hemoglobin (Hb), platelet (Plt), partial thromboplastin time (PTT), albumin, hematocrit (Hct), and other serum electrolytes including sodium (Na), calcium, and phosphorus (P).ConclusionThe present study demonstrated the potential of vitamin C supplementation in enhancing the survival duration of critically ill patients with COVID-19.Clinical Trial Registration https://www.irct.ir/trial/55074, identifier IRCT20151226025699N5

Highlights

Vitamin C has been reported to have beneficial effects on patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)
This study aimed to evaluate the effect of vitamin C supplementation on the biochemical and pathological parameters and survival duration in critically ill patients with COVID-19
For the other serum electrolytes (Na, Ca, and P) measured, no significant difference between the vitamin C supplementation and control groups was evident after intervention (Table 2)

Summary

Introduction

Vitamin C has been reported to have beneficial effects on patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This study aimed to investigate the effect of vitamin C supplementation on pathological parameters and survival duration of critically ill patients with COVID-19. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is the most important global health crisis of recent years. By November 2020, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARSCoV-2) caused more than 50 million confirmed cases of COVID19, including about 1.5 million deaths worldwide [2]. At the same time in Iran, more than 700,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and more than 40,000 deaths were reported [3]. The disease progresses in some cases, and patients experience dyspnea, respiratory dysfunctions, shock, heart disease, hypertension, and multiple organ damage, which may lead to death [4]. Obesity, weakened immune system, and underlying diseases such as diabetes are the known risk factors associated with disease severity [5]

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