Evidence map›Paper›PMID 36290671›Full record

ArticleAntioxidants (Basel, Switzerland)2022

Supplementation with Oral Vitamin C Prior to and during Myeloablative Chemotherapy and Autologous Haematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation: A Pilot Study.

Anitra C Carr, Emma Vlasiuk, Masuma Zawari, Natalie Meijer, Carolyn Lauren, Sean MacPherson, Jonathan Williman, Stephen T Chambers

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland), 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
0.7field-weighted citation impact, top 34% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 7 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. High-dose vitamin C supplementation in patients undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: A pilot randomized, triple-blind, placebo-controlled trial.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2026
    Trial
  3. Trial
  4. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Anitra C CarrNutrition in Medicine Research Group, Department of Pathology and Biomedical Science, University of Otago, Christchurch 8011, New Zealand.ORCID 0000-0002-5890-2977
Emma VlasiukNutrition in Medicine Research Group, Department of Pathology and Biomedical Science, University of Otago, Christchurch 8011, New Zealand.ORCID 0000-0001-7712-5643
Masuma ZawariNutrition in Medicine Research Group, Department of Pathology and Biomedical Science, University of Otago, Christchurch 8011, New Zealand.
Natalie MeijerDepartment of Haematology, Christchurch Hospital, Christchurch 8011, New Zealand.
Carolyn LaurenDepartment of Haematology, Christchurch Hospital, Christchurch 8011, New Zealand.
Sean MacPhersonDepartment of Haematology, Christchurch Hospital, Christchurch 8011, New Zealand.
Jonathan WillimanDepartment of Population Health, University of Otago, Christchurch 8011, New Zealand.ORCID 0000-0001-5080-4435
Stephen T ChambersThe Infection Group, Department of Pathology and Biomedical Science, University of Otago, Christchurch 8011, New Zealand.
University of Otago · NZChristchurch Hospital · NZ

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Chemotherapy-related side effects are common in patients undergoing myeloablative chemotherapy and haematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Some, such as oral mucositis, are believed to be due to enhanced oxidative stress and inflammation. Vitamin C, a potent antioxidant with anti-inflammatory properties, becomes severely depleted following myeloablative chemotherapy. The aim of our study was to assess the feasibility and efficacy of oral vitamin C supplementation to restore and maintain adequate vitamin C concentrations in patients undergoing myeloablative chemotherapy and stem cell transplantation. We carried out a pilot randomized controlled trial in 20 patients with myeloma and lymphoma. Placebo or vitamin C tablets (1 g twice daily) were initiated one week prior to transplantation and continued for 4 weeks post-transplantation. Blood samples were collected weekly for analysis of plasma vitamin C concentrations using high-performance liquid chromatography. The patients' symptoms and quality of life parameters were monitored using the World Health Organization oral toxicity scale and the European Organization for the Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ). Pre-supplementation with oral vitamin C doubled vitamin C concentrations relative to placebo by day 0 (median 61 vs. 31 µmol/L), with 60% of those in the vitamin C group achieving concentrations ≥ 50 µmol/L, compared with only 10% in the placebo group. Following chemotherapy and transplantation, significance between the vitamin C and placebo groups was lost by day 7, with only 30% of the patients in the vitamin C group having plasma concentrations ≥ 50 µmol/L. This was partly due to intolerance of the oral intervention due to nausea/vomiting and diarrhoea (40% of the participants in each group). Oral mucositis was also observed in 40% of the participants at day 7 or 14. Overall, our study showed that whilst short-term oral vitamin C pre-supplementation was able to restore adequate vitamin C status by day 0, ongoing supplementation could not maintain adequate vitamin C concentrations following chemotherapy and transplantation. Thus, intravenous vitamin C should be trialled as this bypasses the gastrointestinal system, negating intolerance issues and improving bioavailability of the vitamin.

Indexed as

ascorbic acidchemotherapyEORTC QLQhaematopoietic stem cell transplantationHSCTmucositisquality of lifevitamin C

Identifiers

PMID36290671
PMCPMC9598083
OpenAlexW4297973644

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.