The effect of vitamin C on procalcitonin biomarker in community-acquired pneumonia.

INTRODUCTION: Community acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a prevalent low respiratory infection. Diagnosis is based on clinical symptoms, radiologic evidence and culture. Biomarkers such as IL6, CRP and procalcitonin are helpful in diagnosis. Procalcitonin is a soluble biomarker in serum that increase in systemic inflammation and bacterial infections. People with normal procalcitonin have low risk to infect pneumonia. Patient with CAP have more oxidative stress than normal people. Studies show that receiving vitamin C can reduce incidence of pneumonia. The present study was designed to evaluate the effect of vitamin C supplement on procalcitonin biomarker in patient with CAP. METHODS: Patients with CAP who passed inclusion and exclusion criteria after obtaining informed consent, were assigned randomly in two groups of drug and placebo. The drug group received vitamin C (1000 mg/d) daily and medications that physician prescribed for treating CAP for 10 days and placebo group received placebo and medications that physician prescribed. The serum level of procalcitonin was measured at the beginning of the study and after 10 days of intervention. RESULTS: 35 patients finished the study. Serum level of procalcitonin on the first and tenth day did not show any significant difference between drug and placebo groups. CONCLUSIONS: To clarify the relationship between the effects of vitamin C on procalcitonin in CAP, a larger sample size is required.