ABSTRACT

Background: Pneumonia, a disease ensuing in inflammation of parenchyma of lungs. Variety of organisms became a reason for this disease including bacteria, viruses, fungi, or parasites. An important antioxidant, Vitamin C, acts as a reducing agent for the purpose of reversal of oxidation in liquids. Beneficial effects in parallel with respiratory tract infections (RTIs) are ensued by antioxidant properties of vitamin C. In RTIs, massive amount of oxidizing compounds are released by neutrophils being toxic to other cells.an proficient consumption of extracellular vitamin C resulted by Activation of neutrophils, advocates that massive concentration of vitamin C may act as a shield against the detrimental effects of oxidants release and reduce the duration of hospital stay in patients having pneumonia.

Methodology: After taking approval from hospital ethical committee, parents/care takers being cognizant give a consent in black and white, after explaining the importance of the study. A randomized lottery technique was used while admitting Children admitted with pneumonia .Vitamin C group or placebo group, I monitored the administration of placebo to patients (being 2ml of normal saline) and vitamin C. Cephalosporin-3^rd generation- i.e. Ceftriaxone (75mg/kg/day in 2 divided doses) helps in the standardization of the rest of the treatment. The numeral count of days required by severe pneumonia to improve was duly noted. All charges of treatment was borne by the hospital and not by the patient. A Performa designed to get all the relevant information was used for collection of data. Confounding variables identified and excluded through exclusion criteria.

Results: In our research, average age was evaluated as 2.85+1.36 years in Vitamin C and 2.94+1.36 years in placebo group, 52.5%(np=42) in Vitamin C and in Placebo group, 48.75%(np=39) were male while in Vitamin C they were 47.5%(np=38) and 51.25%(np=41) in placebo group were females, comparison of mean length of hospital stay in children 2 months upto 5 years with pneumonia by giving vitamin c and placebo in parallel to adjuvant antibiotic treatment shows 6.98+0.91 days in Vitamin C and 7.74+1.34 days in placebo group, value of p was 0.001 showing a marked difference.

Conclusion: We determined that the average length of hospital stay in children 2 months upto 5 years with pneumonia by giving Vitamin C is significantly shorter when compared to placebo in addition to adjuvant antibiotic treatment.