Vitamin C Infusion for TReatment in Sepsis and Alcoholic Hepatitis

Phase 2

Completed

Conditions: Alcoholic Hepatitis
Sepsis

Interventions: Drug: Vitamin C
Drug: Dextrose 5% in water

Registration Number: NCT03829683

Lead Sponsor: Virginia Commonwealth University

Brief Summary: The purpose of this research study is to test the safety, tolerability, and effectiveness of Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) intravenous infusion when used to treat alcoholic hepatitis (inflammation of the liver from heavy alcohol use) and sepsis (life-threatening complication of an infection).

Detailed Description: Alcoholic hepatitis is inflammation of the liver due to alcohol consumption. It can cause one or more of the following symptoms such as jaundice (yellow discoloration of the eyes and skin), pain on the right side of the abdomen, and is accompanied by an enlarged liver. Sepsis is a life-threatening complication of an infection. As the body tries to fight an infection it sends chemicals into the bloodstream. These chemicals that are trying to fight the infection can cause inflammation. This inflammation can cause damage to many body systems and make them fail. Patients with alcoholic hepatitis and sepsis have low levels of Vitamin C in the bloodstream. Vitamin C has been shown to reduce inflammation and organ dysfunction in patients with severe infections.

The investigators do not yet know if Vitamin C will be effective in alcoholic hepatitis. Taking Vitamin C by mouth is not effective as a treatment in people with this condition so participants will receive the Vitamin C intravenously (IV). Participants will be randomly assigned to receive either Vitamin C or a placebo given through an IV every six hours for four days.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status: COMPLETED

Sex: All

Target Recruitment: 20

Inclusion Criteria

Alcoholic Hepatitis diagnosed by one of the following methods:
1. liver biopsy
2. clinical diagnosis based on history of alcohol use, presence of jaundice (yellowing of skin), blood tests indicating liver injury, and absence of other causes of liver injury (autoimmune disease, viral hepatitis, drug toxicity)
Suspected or proven infection
Presence of systemic inflammatory response to infection (fever, hypothermia (low temperature), tachycardia (fast heart rate), leukocytosis (high white blood cell count), leukopenia (low white blood cell count), high respiratory (breathing) rate, or need for mechanical ventilation (a machine to assist in breathing).
Presence of organ failure due to the body's response to infection indicated by any of the following:
1. Hypotension (low blood pressure) or need for medications to raise blood pressure
2. Arterial hypoxemia (low blood oxygen) or need for high flow of oxygen
3. High lactate level (blood test indicating active response to infection)
4. Low urine output despite administration of intravenous fluids
5. Low platelet count (blood test)
6. Coagulopathy (decreased blood clotting ability based on a blood test)
7. High bilirubin (blood test)
8. Mental status changes (confusion or delirium)
Absence of drugs present on urine or blood tests that indicate the possibility of liver damage or mental status changes from other causes

Exclusion Criteria

Allergy to Vitamin C
Unable to provide consent
Age less than 18 years
No intravenous access (IV line) in a patient needing glucose (blood sugar) checks more than twice daily
Presence of diabetic ketoacidosis (a serious complication of diabetes)
Inability of patient, legally authorized representative and/or physician to commit to full medical support
Pregnancy or breast feeding
Life expectancy less than 24 hours
Active or history of kidney stone
History of chronic kidney disease
History of glucose-6-phosphate deficiency (a low blood protein that can cause red blood cells to break down)
Active cancer (except non-melanoma skin cancer)
Uncontrolled gastrointestinal bleeding
Other causes of liver injury such as viruses, autoimmune disease, drug toxicity
History of severe liver cirrhosis complications including variceal bleeding within the last 3 months, large ascites (fluid accumulation in the abdomen) or hepatocellular carcinoma (liver cancer)
History of organ transplantation
Initial AST or ALT (blood test indicating a liver problem)
Presence of acetaminophen or other drugs on urine or blood toxicology test
Non-English speaking
Prisoner or other ward of the state

Study & Design

Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL

Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Vitamin C infusion (ascorbic acid)	Dextrose 5% in water	Vitamin C 200mg/kg/24hours administered in four doses per day (given every 6 hours)
Placebo	Dextrose 5% in water	Dextrose 5% in water 50 milliliters (mL) administered intravenously every 6 hours
Vitamin C infusion (ascorbic acid)	Vitamin C	Vitamin C 200mg/kg/24hours administered in four doses per day (given every 6 hours)

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Change in Model for End Stage Liver Disease (MELD) Score	Baseline and 96 hours	Change in MELD score from Day 0 to Day 4. MELD score ranges from 6 (least sick) to 40 (most sick) based on blood tests which ranks the degree of sickness from liver disease. The lab tests used to determine the MELD score are creatinine, bilirubin, and international normalized ratio (INR).

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Change in Chronic Liver Failure-Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (CLIF-SOFA) Score	Baseline and 96 hours	A number that ranges from 0 (least sick) to 24 (most sick) and ranks the degree of sickness from liver failure and several other organ systems in a critically ill person. The score is determined by evaluating a person's liver function, kidney function, nervous system (brain), coagulation (blood clotting), circulation (blood pressure), and respiratory status (breathing)
Change in Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST) Level	Baseline and 96 hours	Standard blood test used to determine the severity and nature of liver problems.
Change in Albumin	Baseline and 96 hours	Standard blood test used to determine the severity and nature of liver problems.
Change in Total Bilirubin	Baseline and 96 hours	Standard blood test used to determine the severity and nature of liver problems.
Number of Treatment-related Adverse Events as Assessed by CTCAE v5.0	up to 96 hours	Observation about the need to change the dose of study medication and symptoms such as headache, dizziness, dry mouth, nausea, vomiting, flushing, rash, or hypotension (low blood pressure)
ICU-free Days	Day 28	The number of days not spent in an intensive care unit (ICU)
Change in Alkaline Phosphatase	Baseline and 96 hours	Standard blood test used to determine the severity and nature of liver problems.
Changes to Corrected QT Interval (QTc)	Baseline and 96 hours	An electrocardiogram (ECG or test of the electrical activity of the heart) is performed to determine if there are changes to the heart rhythm.
Changes to Urine pH	Baseline and 96 hours	Urine samples are collected to determine changes in pH (acidity) that could indicate a risk for kidney stones. The pH scale ranges from 0 to 14, with smaller numbers meaning more acidic and higher numbers meaning more basic. A pH of 7 is considered to be neutral. Normal levels of urine pH range from 4.6 - 8 on the pH scale.
Changes to Urine Microscopy	Baseline and 96 hours	Urine samples are collected to check for the presence of crystalluria (microscopic crystals) that could indicate a risk for kidney stones.
Change in Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT) Level	Baseline and 96 hours	Standard blood test used to determine the severity and nature of liver problems.
Hospital-free Days	Day 90	The number of days spent outside of the hospital
Changes to Level of Medical Care	up to 168 hours	Documentation of the need for more intensive medical care such as ventilator (breathing machine) or vasopressors (intravenous medications use increase blood pressure) when not needed at baseline
Number of Deaths Due to Any Cause	Day 90	Any cause of death that is anticipated or unanticipated