ascorbic-acid and Ankle-Injuries

Post-operative pain may adversely affect a patient's quality of life. Studies have shown that vitamin C, being an anti-oxidant and neuro-modulating agent, can help to reduce pain in a variety of clinical settings. The objective of this randomized controlled trial was to assess the effectiveness of vitamin C in reducing post-operative pain, analgesia requirements and improving functional outcome.. Patients with isolated foot and ankle trauma, who had undergone surgery, were randomly assigned to receive either vitamin C 500mg or a placebo tablet twice a day. VAS score, analgesia requirement and functional outcome were assessed during their regular follow up. Results were compared and analyzed at the end of 3 months.. The group which received vitamin C, showed improvement in VAS score at the end of second and sixth week of follow up, reduced analgesia requirements and improved functional outcome as compared to the placebo group.. This study shows that the supplementation of vitamin C in patients undergoing surgery for foot and ankle trauma helps to reduce analgesic requirements, improve VAS scores and achieve better functional outcome.

Topics: Adult; Analgesics; Ankle Injuries; Antioxidants; Ascorbic Acid; Double-Blind Method; Female; Foot Injuries; Fracture Fixation; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Pain, Postoperative; Prospective Studies; Recovery of Function; Treatment Outcome; Young Adult

The public health cost impact of complex regional pain syndrome type I (CRPS I) is considerable in both emergency and scheduled orthopaedic surgery. We proposed to assess the effectiveness of vitamin C in prevention of CRPS I in foot and ankle surgery.. We carried out a "before-after" quasi-experimental study comparing two chronologically successive groups without (Group I: July 2002-June 2003) and with (Group II: July 2003-June 2004) preventive 1g daily vitamin C treatment. All patients having surgery on the foot or ankle were enrolled, with the exception of diabetic foot cases. Several factors were analysed: sex, age, type of pathology, history of CRPS I, psychological context, tourniquet time, and cast immobilisation time.. 420 feet (392 patients) were included in the study: 185 in Group I, 235 in Group II. CRPS I occurred in 18 cases in Group I (9.6%) and 4 cases in Group II (1.7%) (p<10(-4)), with history of CRPS I as a significantly correlated factor (relative risk=10.4). The psychological context (anxio-depressive state) showed a (sub-significant) tendency to increase the risk of CRPS I (relative risk=2.6).. Vitamin C has been shown to be effective in preventing CRPS I secondary to wrist fracture, but few data are available with respect to foot and ankle cases. The present study demonstrates the effectiveness of vitamin C in preventing CRPS I of the foot and ankle-a frequent complication in our control group (9.6%). The authors recommend preventive management by vitamin C.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Ankle Injuries; Antioxidants; Ascorbic Acid; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Foot Injuries; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Orthopedic Procedures; Pain, Postoperative; Prospective Studies; Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy; Syndrome; Treatment Outcome; Young Adult

Topics: Ankle Injuries; Antioxidants; Ascorbic Acid; Female; Foot Injuries; Humans; Male; Orthopedic Procedures; Pain, Postoperative; Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy

Topics: Ankle Injuries; Antioxidants; Ascorbic Acid; Female; Foot Injuries; Humans; Male; Orthopedic Procedures; Pain, Postoperative; Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy