Impact Of Antioxidant Micronutrients On Intensive Care Unit (ICU) Outcome

Influence Of Early Antioxidant Supplements On Clinical Evolution And Organ Function In Critically Ill Cardiac Surgery, Major Trauma And Subarachnoid Hemorrhage Patients

Critically ill patients are generally exposed to an increased oxidative stress, which is proportional to the severity of their condition. Endogenous antioxidant (AOX) defenses are depleted particularly in those patients with intense inflammatory response. The hypothesis tested is that early I:V: administration of a combination of AOX micronutrient supplements (Se, Zn, Vit C, Vit E, Vit B1) would improve clinical outcome in selected critically ill patients, by reinforcing the endogenous AOX defenses and reducing organ failure.

Prospective randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, single-center trial. Patients admitted to ICU after complicated cardiac surgery, major trauma with or without brain injury, subarachnoid hemorrhage, and predicted by the clinicians to require >48 hours of ICU treatment.

Supplements: provided IV for 5 days

Inclusion Criteria:

• adult patients admitted for above diagnosis assessed on admission by the medical team likely to require more than 48 hours of ICU

Exclusion Criteria:

• absence of consent, participation in another study, liver cirrhosis or major burns and life expectancy < 24 hours or a lack of commitment to full aggressive care (anticipated withholding or withdrawing treatments in the 48 hours