Early Adjuvant Intravenous Vitamin C Treatment in Septic Shock may Resolve the Vasopressor Dependence

Evidence is emerging that intravenous administration of high-doses of vitamin C may have beneficial effect and can be used as adjuvant therapy of severe sepsis and septic shock. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of early intravenous high doses of vitamin C as adjuvant treatment in patients with septic shock. 100 patients with septic shock were enrolled, randomized into 2 groups. Early vitamin C (EVC) group (n=50) received intravenous 1.5 gm vitamin C (ascorbic acid) every 6 hours in the first 24 hours after admission until ICU discharge plus conventional sepsis treatment. Other 50 patients were enrolled as a control. The primary outcomes were the need for organ supportive measures and length of ICU stay. There were no differences in duration on MV (p= 0.187), need for RRT (p=0.412), or ICU mortality (p=0.138). The mean number of days on vasopressor was significantly less in EVC group than in control group (2.30 Vs 6.50 days, p=0.001). There was a statistically significant difference in ICU stay between the two groups (p=0.04). Early vitamin C in septic shock may resolve the vasopressor-dependent septic shock rapidly with no benefit on mortality.