Vitamin C prophylaxis for post-transfusion 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 for 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. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 34: 20-23, 1981. KEY WORDS Vitamin C, posttransfusion hepatitis, hepatitis prophylaxi