title: Vitamin C prophylaxis for posttransfusion hepatitis: lack of effect in a controlled trial.
abstract: In vitro data suggest that vitamin C alters numerous parameters of immune function and might have potential as an agent which prevents infection. When an uncontrolled Japanese trial claimed efficacy of vitamin C in preventing posttransfusion hepatitis, a randomized double-blind controlled trial was initiated to determine if this claim of vitamin C efficacy could be confirmed. For 2 days before surgery and 2 wk after operation, cardiac surgery patients received orally either a lactose placebo or 800 mg of vitamin C four times daily. One hundred seventy-five patients completed the study. Highly significant elevations of plasma vitamin C were seen in the vitamin C treatment group as compared to the placebo group (p < 0.0005), but no significant difference in the incidence of posttransfusion hepatitis (p < 0.50) or the clinical course of hepatitis was seen between the two treatment groups.
mesh_terms: D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000601:surgery; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006505:Hepatitis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010919:Placebos; D065227:Transfusion Reaction
chemical_list: D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D010919:Placebos; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase; D001205:Ascorbic Acid