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Table 1 Characteristics of included studies

From: Evidence is stronger than you think: a meta-analysis of vitamin C use in patients with sepsis

Study

Year

Design

n

Inclusion criteria

Exclusion criteria

Participant characteristics

Dose of vitamin C

Outcomes reported

Quality assessment

Marik et al. [7]

2017

Retrospective before-after study

94

Primary diagnosis of severe sepsis or septic shock and a procalcitonin level ≥ 2 ng/mL

< 18 years, pregnant, or with limitations of care

Mean age for treated group 58.3 years, 57% male; mean age for control group 62.2 years, 49% male

1.5 g IV every 6 h

Hospital mortality, ICU-LOS, duration of vasopressors, RRT for AKI, reduction in serum procalcitonin and SOFA over the first 72 h

Neither randomized nor blinded, although propensity-adjusted; protocol included intravenous hydrocortisone and thiamine, in addition to vitamin C

Fowler et al. [3]

2014

Prospective phase I trial

24

Diagnosis of severe sepsis

< 18 years, pregnant, prisoners, cognitively impaired and unable to provide consent, or non-English speakers

Age for treated group: 30–92 years, 56% male; age for control group: 54–68 years, 50% male

50 mg/kg/day, or 200 mg/kg/day

Vitamin C safety and tolerability, days on vasopressor, ventilator-free days, ICU-LOS, 28-day mortality

Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, but underpowered

Zabet et al. [6]

2016

Prospective clinical trial

28

Adult (18–65 years) with diagnosis of septic shock and required vasopressor drug to maintain MAP > 65 mmHg

 

Mean age for treated group 64.14 years, 71% male; mean age for control group 63.71 years, 79% male

25 mg/kg IV every 6 h

Vasopressor dose and duration, ICU-LOS, 28-day mortality

Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, but small sample size

  1. AKI acute kidney injury, ICU-LOS intensive care unit length of stay, IV intravenous, MAP mean arterial pressure, RRT renal replacement therapy, SOFA Sepsis-Related Organ Failure Assessment