IV Vitamin C in Sepsis: A Latest Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

source extracted confidence: high 2026-04-09
#humans #ascorbic-acid #vitamins #sepsis #multicenter-studies-as-topic

IV Vitamin C in Sepsis: A Latest Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Wen et al., 2023 | Int J Clin Pract | Meta Analysis

Citation

Wen Chengli, Li Yuan, ... Lü Muhan. IV Vitamin C in Sepsis: A Latest Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Int J Clin Pract. 2023;2023:6733465. doi:10.1155/2023/6733465

Abstract

Sepsis is a high-incidence disease and demands intensive care. Finding effective treatment is the key to cure sepsis. Studies have shown a lower level of vitamin C in patients with sepsis. Therefore, vitamin C supplementation has become one of the measures to treat sepsis. However, the clinical studies of vitamin C in the treatment of sepsis have been controversial. We performed a meta-analysis to evaluate vitamin C's efficacy and safety in the treatment of sepsis. We searched four electronic databases: PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library, and two researchers independently screened 24 eligible RCTs published in English. Our review demonstrates that intravenous (IV) vitamin C might improve short-term mortality (RR, 0.82; 95% CI, 0.65-1.02; P=0.07; and I 2 = 45%) and overall mortality (RR, 0.86; 95% CI, 0.74-1.01; P=0.06; and I 2 = 51%) of patients with sepsis. Moreover, the SOFA score of patients with sepsis improved significantly after treatment with vitamin C for over 72 hours (RR, 0.26; 95% CI, 0.09-0.42; P=0.002; and I 2 = 0%). The main results of our study were moderate-quality evidence. More high-quality, multicenter RCTs are needed to provide more substantial evidence on the efficacy and safety of IV vitamin C for sepsis.

Key Findings

More high-quality, multicenter RCTs are needed to provide more substantial evidence on the efficacy and safety of IV vitamin C for sepsis.

Outcomes Measured

  • Requires manual extraction

Population

Field Value
Population sepsis
Sample Size See abstract
Age Range See abstract
Condition See abstract

MeSH Terms

  • Humans
  • Ascorbic Acid
  • Vitamins
  • Sepsis
  • Multicenter Studies as Topic

Evidence Classification

  • Level: Meta Analysis
  • Publication Types: Meta-Analysis, Systematic Review, Journal Article
  • Vertical: vitamin-c

Provenance

Source extracted via PubMed E-utilities API on 2026-04-09