Oral vitamin C reduces the injury to skeletal muscle caused by compartment syndrome.
Compartment syndrome is a unique form of ischaemia of skeletal muscle which occurs despite patency of the large vessels. Decompression allows the influx of activated leucocytes which cause further injury. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant which concentrates preferentially in leucocytes and attenuates reperfusion-induced muscle injury. We have evaluated the use of pretreatment with oral vitamin C in the prevention of injury caused by compartment syndrome in a rat cremasteric muscle model. Acute and delayed effects of pretreatment with vitamin C were assessed at one and 24 hours after decompression of compartment syndrome. Muscle function was assessed electrophysiologically. Vascular, cellular and tissue inflammation was assessed by staining of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and by determination of the activity of myeloperoxidase (MPO) in neutrophils and tissue oedema. Compartment syndrome impaired skeletal muscle function and increased the expression of ICAM-1, activity of MPO and muscle weight increased significantly. Pretreatment with vitamin C preserved muscle function and reduced the expression of ICAM-1, infiltration of the neutrophils and oedema.
Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, Ireland.
S R
SR
Kearns
A F
AF
Daly
K
K
Sheehan
P
P
Murray
C
C
Kelly
D
D
Bouchier-Hayes
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D003161:Compartment Syndromes / Q000150:complications* / Q000201:enzymology; D004487:Edema; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000201:enzymology; D009195:Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D015427:Reperfusion Injury / Q000201:enzymology / Q000517:prevention & control*
D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1; D009195:Peroxidase; D001205:Ascorbic Acid