Vitamin C in the Treatment of Septic Shock
Faculty Advisor Name
Dr. Erika Kancler, MD
Description
Sepsis is a major public health concern affecting 1.5 million Americans annually and resulting in 250,000 deaths per year. Sepsis progresses to septic shock when there is evidence of organ dysfunction and tissue hypoperfusion as evidenced by hyperlactatemia or failure to respond to fluid resuscitation. These patients are treated with vasopressors, fluid resuscitation, and antibiotics. Septic patients often present with low vitamin C levels due to increased oxidative stress from infection. The enzymes involved in the synthesis of endogenous norepinephrine and vasopressin require ascorbate as a cofactor for optimal activity. Thus, it is thought that supplementing septic patients with high doses of vitamin C will improve hemodynamic instability, the need for exogenous vasopressin, and potentially decrease overall mortality.
Clinical Question: Among patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) with a diagnosis of septic shock, does the addition of high dose intravenous (IV) vitamin C to standard treatments reduce the duration of vasopressor dependency, improve mortality, and reduce the duration of ICU stay?
Vitamin C in the Treatment of Septic Shock
Sepsis is a major public health concern affecting 1.5 million Americans annually and resulting in 250,000 deaths per year. Sepsis progresses to septic shock when there is evidence of organ dysfunction and tissue hypoperfusion as evidenced by hyperlactatemia or failure to respond to fluid resuscitation. These patients are treated with vasopressors, fluid resuscitation, and antibiotics. Septic patients often present with low vitamin C levels due to increased oxidative stress from infection. The enzymes involved in the synthesis of endogenous norepinephrine and vasopressin require ascorbate as a cofactor for optimal activity. Thus, it is thought that supplementing septic patients with high doses of vitamin C will improve hemodynamic instability, the need for exogenous vasopressin, and potentially decrease overall mortality.
Clinical Question: Among patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) with a diagnosis of septic shock, does the addition of high dose intravenous (IV) vitamin C to standard treatments reduce the duration of vasopressor dependency, improve mortality, and reduce the duration of ICU stay?
