Intravenous (IV) vitamin C improves organ function and reduces inflammation in sepsis, an inflammatory state like the post-hematopoietic stem cell transplant (SCT) milieu. The safety and efficacy of parenteral vitamin C after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) were evaluated in a phase I/II trial and clinical outcomes compared with a propensity score - matched historical control.
Methods: Patients with advanced hematologic malignancies were enrolled in a phase 2 clinical trial, receiving IV vitamin C, 50mg/kg/d, divided into 3 doses given on days 1-14 after HSCT, followed by 500 mg bid oral from day 15 until 6 months post-SCT.
Results: 55 patients received IV vitamin C: these include 10/10 HLA-MRD and MUD (n=48) and 9/10 HLA MUD recipients (n=7). All patients enrolled were deficient in vitamin C at day 0 and had restoration to normal levels for the remainder of the course. Vitamin C recipients had lower non-relapse mortality (11% vs. 25%, p-value = 0.07) and consequently, improved survival compared to historical controls (82% vs 62% p=0.06), with no attributable grade 3 and 4 toxicities to vitamin C. Patients with myeloid malignancies had improved survival (83% vs. 54%, p=0.02) and non-relapse mortality (NRM) (10% vs. 37%, p=0.009), as well as chronic GVHD, with similar relapse rates compared to controls.
Conclusions: In patients undergoing allogeneic HSCT the administration of IV vitamin C is safe and reduces non-relapse mortality improving overall survival. Randomized trials are needed to confirm the utility of this easily available and inexpensive therapy.
Keywords: Graph analysis; Parenteral ascorbic acid; allogeneic stem cell transplantation; graft vs. host disease; non-relapse mortality.