title: Vitamin C supplementation in relation to inflammation in individuals with atrophic gastritis: a randomised controlled trial in Japan.
abstract: Evidence has shown that both C-reactive protein (CRP) and serum amyloid component A (SAA) are increased in individuals with gastritis and stomach cancer. Controlling the level of these biomarkers by inhibiting the gastric infection with high doses of ascorbic acid may reduce the risk of carcinogenesis. A population-based double-blind randomised controlled trial in a Japanese population with atrophic gastritis in an area of high stomach cancer incidence was conducted between 1995 and 2000. Daily doses of 50 or 500 mg vitamin C were given, and 120 and 124 participants completed the 5-year study, respectively. Although serum ascorbic acid was higher in the high-dosage group (1.73 (SD 0.46) μg/l) than in the low-dosage group (1.49 (SD 0.29) μg/l, P< 0.001), at the end of the study, no significant difference was observed for CRP between the low- and high-dosage groups (0.39 (95 % CI 0.04, 4.19) mg/l and 0.38 (95 % CI 0.03, 4.31) mg/l, respectively; P= 0.63) or for SAA between the low- and high-dosage groups (3.94 (95 % CI 1.04, 14.84) μg/ml and 3.85 (95 % CI 0.99, 14.92) μg/ml, respectively; P= 0.61). Vitamin C supplementation may not have a strong effect on reducing infections in individuals with atrophic gastritis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8575, Japan.
authors.forename: Enbo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Shizuka
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sasazuki
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sasaki
authors.forename: Yoshitaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tsubono
authors.forename: Shunji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Okubo
authors.forename: Shoichiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tsugane
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005757:Gastritis, Atrophic / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000517:prevention & control; D016480:Helicobacter pylori; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000685:Serum Amyloid A Protein / Q000032:analysis; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000517:prevention & control
chemical_list: D000685:Serum Amyloid A Protein; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D001205:Ascorbic Acid