Low Dose Vitamin C in Burns >20% Compared to Previous Studies With High Dose Vitamin C

Burn injury is marked by a large release of inflammatory mediators which disrupt the normal capillary barrier and cause a rapid shift of intravascular fluid into interstitial spaces, ultimately leading to shock and death. As such, adequate fluid management and resuscitation is critical for burn patients to prevent further cellular injury. Technologies and medical options such as cardiac output monitoring along with early tube feeding and vitamin C administration have developed slowly over the years. Effective management of the systemic inflammatory response syndrome response and metabolic derangement is crucial for the survival of burn patients. In particular, vitamin C administration has shown to significantly decreases early post-burn lipid peroxidation, reduce microvascular leak of fluid by preventing endothelial dysfunction, and decreases edema formation in burned tissue.

Vitamin C is a cheap and widely available antioxidant which has been shown to significantly effective in positively impacting clinical outcomes in burn resuscitation. While vitamin C is a regular part of burn resuscitation, there is no consensus on the most effective dose when considering impacting mortality, fluid resuscitation requirement, and other various clinical outcomes. Defining clinically efficacious minimal dosage of vitamin C can assist surgeons to better guide care for patients requiring burn resuscitation.

In this study, we aim to evaluate the efficacy of vitamin C in burns greater than 20% total body surface area on various clinical outcomes through a retrospective chart review of burn patients. Through this retrospective chart review, we aim to arrive at a better-defined vitamin C dose to achieve positive clinically significant outcomes.

Inclusion criteria

All patients presenting to Arrowhead Regional Medical Center Emergency Department with International Classification of Diseases-10 codes of :

i. T31.2 Burns involving 20-29% of body surface ii. T31.3 Burns involving 30-39% of body surface iii. T31.4 Burns involving 40-49% of body surface iv. T31.5 Burns involving 50-59% of body surface v. T31.6 Burns involving 60-69% of body surface vi. T31.7 Burns involving 70-79% of body surface vii. T31.8 Burns involving 80-89% of body surface viii. T31.9 Burns involving 90% or more of body surface ix. T30.2 Burn of second degree, body region unspecified x. T30.3 Burn of third degree, body region unspecified

Exclusion criteria

• Total Body Surface Area Burns under 20%.