Effect of vitamin C supplement in treatment of childhood pneumonia requiring hospitalization: A randomized controlled trial.

Background: The role of vitamin C in children with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in children is controversial; moreover, a standard dose is lacking.

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the ability of vitamin C to reduce symptom severity and length of hospital stay among children with CAP as well as determine its optimal dose.

Methods: This randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted between July 2020 and October 2023. The participating patients were aged 6 months to 15 years, had CAP, and required hospitalization at Naresuan University Hospital. The patients were randomly assigned to placebo, low-dose vitamin C (15 mg/kg/dose every 6 h), and high-dose vitamin C (30 mg/kg/dose every 6 h) groups. Treatment was provided until discharge and doses maximized after 3 days. The patients' clinical symptoms and side effects were recorded every 12 h.

Results: This study included 143 patients (median age, 3 years). The clinical severity score improved significantly in the low- and high-dose vitamin C versus placebo groups at 48-72 h. Vitamin C supplementation did not reduce the length of hospital stay in any group.

Conclusion: Vitamin C supplementation did not reduce the length of hospital stay among patients with CAP who required hospitalization. However, it improved the mean clinical severity score, with the greatest reduction observed at 48 h post-treatment. A dose of 15 mg/kg was demonstrated effective with minimal side effects.