Asma Yaqub, Noshina Riaz, Zeeshan Ghani, Sidra Gul.
Role of vitamin C in children having pneumonia.
Isra Med J Jan ;7(4):209-11.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the role of vitamin C in children having pneumonia in terms of mean length of hospital stay in children with pneumonia given vitamin C as adjuvant therapy compared with controls given placebo. STUDY DESIGN: Randomized Controlled Trial. PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY: At Department of Paediatric Rawal Institute of Health Sciences (RIHS) Islamabad from 1st December 2013 to 30th November 2014. METHODOLOGY: Total 130 children of aged 2 months to 60 months with pneumonia were divided into two groups by randomization using lottery method; Group A of 65 children received standard antibiotic plus vitamin C therapy and group B of 65 children received standard antibiotic with water drops as placebo. The duration of hospital stay was recorded for each patient. RESULTS: The groups included 61 (46.9%) boys and 69 (53.1%) girls. The mean age was of 19.93±14.52 months. The two groups were similar in baseline demographic characteristics. In group A (vitamin C group) the mean duration of hospital stay was 109.55±27.89 hours. In group B the mean duration of hospital stay was 130.64±41.76 hours. The mean duration of hospital stay was lesser in the vitamin C group as compared to antibiotic alone group and this difference was statistically significant; p= 0.001. CONCLUSION: The mean length of hospital stay in children with pneumonia given vitamin C as an adjuvant to antibiotic therapy was significantly shorter when compared with placebo group.

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