Effect of vitamin C on quality of life outcomes in survivors of sepsis

Status: Complete
Year: 2017
Funded: $51,540
Grant Type: Major Project Grant

Sepsis is a life-threatening condition that is widely defined as a systemic inflammatory response to severe infection resulting in multi-organ failure, and is leading cause of mortality in critically ill patients.

Many survivors of sepsis have substantial long-term physical, cognitive, and psychological impairments, also known as Post Intensive Care Syndrome. One third of survivors have not returned to independent living by 6 months. Our data indicates that patients with sepsis have very low vitamin C levels. Vitamin C has many roles in the body; it is a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent, and is also a cofactor for numerous regulatory and biosynthetic enzymes. Previous studies in cancer patients have highlighted the role that vitamin C plays in improving patients’ quality of life.

Therefore, we hypothesise that vitamin C administration to survivors of sepsis after discharge from hospital will aid in their recovery by improving physical functioning and performance, as well as their mental health. Overall, this study will evaluate, for the first time, the effect of oral vitamin C versus a placebo on long-term quality of life outcomes following survival from sepsis.

Researcher // Dr Patrice Rosengrave – University of Otago

Dr Rosengrave is involved with a pilot study in the Christchurch Intensive Care Unit looking at the effects of intravenous vitamin C administration in in severe sepsis.

More About Dr Patrice Rosengrave
VitaminC

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