Conclusions
critically ill, scurvy
CRITICALLY ILL, VITAMIN C DEFICIENCY, SCURVY
Since the publication of the results of the LOVIT trial, we are concerned about the ongoing possibility of some patients with vitamin C deficiency not being administered the vitamin on the basis that “receiving” intravenous vitamin C caused the observed harm in those randomized to the vitamin C group [Further research on the role of vitamin C for critically ill patients is needed and should not be discouraged by the increased mortality caused by the abrupt termination of vitamin C in the LOVIT trial. However, any future research should give thorough consideration to the ethical issues associated with randomizing patients with very low vitamin C levels (such as <11 µM) and symptoms consistent with scurvy to a placebo group, instead of treating them for vitamin C deficiency.