Podcast 797: Vitamin C in Sepsis

<p><strong>Contributor: Aaron Lessen, MD</strong></p> <p><strong>Educational Pearls:</strong></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style= "font-weight: 400;">Prior, smaller studies showed intravenous Vitamin C given to patients with sepsis significantly improved patient mortality and additional outcomes. </span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style= "font-weight: 400;">A recently published, randomized control trial with >800 ICU patients who received up to 4 days of IV Vit C or placebo concluded that the end points of death or persistent organ dysfunction at 28 days were unaffected by Vitamin C administration. There were no adverse safety outcomes associated with Vitamin C administration.  </span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style= "font-weight: 400;">Based on this trial, it is unlikely that Vitamin C will become a mainstay of treatment for sepsis patients. </span></li> </ul> <p> </p> <p><strong>References</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Marik PE, Khangoora V, Rivera R, Hooper MH, Catravas J. Hydrocortisone, Vitamin C, and Thiamine for the Treatment of Severe Sepsis and Septic Shock: A Retrospective Before-After Study.</span> <em><span style= "font-weight: 400;">Chest</span></em><span style= "font-weight: 400;">. 2017;151(6):1229-1238. doi:10.1016/j.chest.2016.11.036</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Lamontagne F, Masse MH, Menard J, et al. Intravenous Vitamin C in Adults with Sepsis in the Intensive Care Unit.</span> <em><span style="font-weight: 400;">N Engl J Med</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">. 2022;386(25):2387-2398. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2200644</span></p> <p> </p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Summarized by Kirsten Hughes, MS4 | Edited by John Spartz, MD & Erik Verzemnieks, MD</span></em></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Emergency Medical Minute is excited to announce that we are now offering</span> <em><span style="font-weight: 400;">AMA PRA Category 1 credits™</span>