ascorbic-acid and Bronchitis

The value of azithromycin for treatment of acute bronchitis is unknown, even though this drug is commonly prescribed. We have investigated this question in a randomised, double-blind, controlled trial.. Adults diagnosed with acute bronchitis, without evidence of underlying lung disease, were randomly assigned azithromycin (n=112) or vitamin C (n=108) for 5 days (total dose for each 1.5 g). All individuals were also given liquid dextromethorphan and albuterol inhaler with a spacer. The primary outcome was improvement in health-related quality of life at 7 days; an important difference was defined as 0.5 or greater. Analysis was by intention to treat.. The study was stopped by the data-monitoring and safety committee when 220 patients had been recruited. On day 7, the adjusted difference in health-related quality of life was small and not significant (difference 0.03 [95% CI -0.20 to 0.26], p=0.8). 86 (89%) of 97 patients in the azithromycin group and 82 (89%) of 92 in the vitamin C group had returned to their usual activities by day 7 (difference 0.5% [-10% to 9%], p>0.9). There were no differences in the frequency of adverse effects; three patients in the vitamin C group discontinued the study medicine because of perceived adverse effects, compared with none in the azithromycin group. Most patients (81%) reported benefit from the albuterol inhaler.. Azithromycin is no better than low-dose vitamin C for acute bronchitis. Further studies are needed to identify the best treatment for this disorder.

Topics: Acute Disease; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Analysis of Variance; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Ascorbic Acid; Azithromycin; Bronchitis; Chi-Square Distribution; Double-Blind Method; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Quality of Life; Surveys and Questionnaires; Treatment Outcome

A randomised double-blind trial involving vitamin C/placebo supplementation was conducted on 57 elderly patients admitted to hospital with acute respiratory infections (bronchitis and bronchopneumonia). Patients were assessed clinically and biochemically on admission and again at 2 and 4 weeks after admission having received either 200 mg vitamin C per day, or placebo. This relatively modest oral dose led to a significant increase in plasma and white cell vitamin C concentration even in the presence of acute respiratory infection. Using a clinical scoring system based on major symptoms of the respiratory condition, patients supplemented with the vitamin fared significantly better than those on placebo. This was particularly the case for those commencing the trial most severely ill, many of whom had very low plasma and white cell vitamin C concentrations on admission. Various mechanisms by which vitamin C could assist this type of patient are discussed.

Topics: Acute Disease; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Ascorbic Acid; Bronchitis; Bronchopneumonia; Double-Blind Method; Female; Hospitalization; Humans; Male; Placebos

Ragweed extract (RWE) contains NADPH oxidases that induce oxidative stress in the airways independent of adaptive immunity (signal 1) and augment antigen (signal 2)-induced allergic airway inflammation.. To test whether inhibiting signal 1 by administering antioxidants inhibits allergic airway inflammation in mice.. The ability of ascorbic acid (AA), N-acetyl cystenine (NAC), and tocopherol to scavenge pollen NADPH oxidase-generated reactive oxygen species (ROS) was measured. These antioxidants were administered locally to inhibit signal 1 in the airways of RWE-sensitized mice. Recruitment of inflammatory cells, mucin production, calcium-activated chloride channel 3, IL-4, and IL-13 mRNA expression was quantified in the lungs.. Antioxidants inhibited ROS generation by pollen NADPH oxidases and intracellular ROS generation in cultured epithelial cells. AA in combination with NAC or Tocopherol decreased RWE-induced ROS levels in cultured bronchial epithelial cells. Coadministration of antioxidants with RWE challenge inhibited 4-hydroxynonenal adduct formation, upregulation of Clca3 and IL-4 in lungs, mucin production, recruitment of eosinophils, and total inflammatory cells into the airways. Administration of antioxidants with a second RWE challenge also inhibited airway inflammation. However, administration of AA+NAC 4 or 24 hours after RWE challenge failed to inhibit allergic inflammation.. Signal 1 plays a proinflammatory role during repeated exposure to pollen extract. We propose that inhibiting signal 1 by increasing antioxidant potential in the airways may be a novel therapeutic strategy to attenuate pollen-induced allergic airway inflammation.. Administration of antioxidants in the airways may constitute a novel therapeutic strategy to prevent pollen induced allergic airway inflammation.

Topics: Acetylcysteine; Administration, Inhalation; Animals; Antioxidants; Ascorbic Acid; Bronchitis; Chloride Channels; Hypersensitivity; Interleukin-13; Interleukin-4; Lung; Mice; Mucins; Nitrate Reductase (NAD(P)H); Plant Extracts; Pollen; Reactive Oxygen Species; Tocopherols

Evidence suggests that the antioxidant vitamin C may play a role in lung function and wheezing, although the data are limited to laboratory evaluation of pulmonary function.. To examine the relationship among serum vitamin C levels, wheezing episodes, and use of health care services.. Analysis of adult subjects (aged > or = 17 years) surveyed in the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1988-1994) (n = 19,760), including measurements of serum vitamin C levels and self-reports of wheezing episodes, ambulatory health care visits, and overnight hospitalizations for wheezing.. A large proportion of individuals (2377/19,760 [12.0%]) have received a diagnosis of asthma, chronic bronchitis, or emphysema. Among 874 individuals having an ambulatory visit for wheezing, 408 (46.7%) did not have a diagnosed respiratory conditions. Similarly, among 159 individuals hospitalized for wheezing, 61 (38.4%) did not have a diagnosed respiratory condition. Serum vitamin C level had no significant relationship with reported diagnosis of respiratory conditions, episodes of wheezing, or use of health care services for wheezing. In a model computed only with individuals with low or high serum vitamin C levels, after adjustment for potential confounders, no statistically significant relationship was found between serum vitamin C levels and ambulatory care (odds ratio, 0.78; 95% confidence interval, 0.58-1.05) or hospitalization for wheezing episodes (odds ratio, 1.21; 95% confidence interval, 0.67-2.21).. Serum vitamin C levels do not appear to be a marker for use of health care services for wheezing. Future investigations of the role of antioxidants in managing respiratory conditions should focus on the clinically important outcomes of health care use.

Topics: Adult; Aged; Ambulatory Care; Ascorbic Acid; Asthma; Bronchitis; Emphysema; Female; Health Resources; Hospitalization; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Nutrition Surveys; Odds Ratio; Respiratory Sounds; United States

Topics: Adult; Ascorbic Acid; beta Carotene; Bronchitis; Carbon; Carotenoids; Diamond; Humans; Middle Aged; Mining; Siberia; Silicosis; Vitamin A

The blood of healthy men and patients with methemoglobinemia of different genesis was incubated with chromosmon, ascorbic acid, riboflavin and glutathione, the percentage of erythrocytes with thorn-shaped protuberances-echinocytes being subsequently determined in the blood smears. The absorbtion spectra at the range 400-650 nm were investigated both in the smooth erythrocytes and in echinocytes. A correlation was found between the percentage of echinocytes and the methemoglobin content in the blood. The methemoglobin amount in the echinocytes was determined to be higher than in the smooth erythrocytes. It is discovered that effects of chromosmon, glutathione and riboflavin on production of methemoglobin depend on the dose, individual peculiarities of erythrocytes and on the illness that caused methemoglobinemia. The calculation of echinocyte percentage may be used as an express-diagnostics of methemoglobinemia and for purposes of studying the effect of methemoglobin-producing substances and drugs.

Topics: Ascorbic Acid; Bronchitis; Chronic Disease; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Erythrocytes; Glutathione; Hemoglobins; Humans; Methemoglobin; Methemoglobinemia; Methylene Blue; Pulmonary Heart Disease; Riboflavin; Sepsis; Shock, Traumatic; Spectrophotometry

Topics: Adult; Ascorbic Acid; Ascorbic Acid Deficiency; Bronchitis; Chronic Disease; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged

The pharmacological therapy of asthmatic syndromes is based essentially on the programmed use of disodium cromoglycate, beta-2-stimulants, antimuscarinics, theophyllines and corticosteroids. However, the continual progress being made in pathogenesis and pharmacology suggests, to an ever-increasing extent, the application of new therapeutic approaches for these diseases, some of which are fairly interesting from a speculative point of view although they are as yet of limited practical value. Calcium antagonists and alpha-blockers have a mild anti-reactive effect but this is not sufficiently potent to justify use of these products in the treatment of asthma unless there are also cardiovascular disorders for which these drugs are particularly indicated. Despite the initial promising prospects, all attempts to obtain PGE analogues of therapeutic value as antiasthmatics have proved fruitless. Research into orally active chromone derivatives has proved equally unproductive. On the other hand, certain new inhalatory chromones are decidedly more promising. Specific antagonization of mediators (histamine, prostaglandin, leukotrienes) did not produce the effect hoped for in asthma, but this was foreseeable insofar as the major pathogenic mediators are too vast in number (and no doubt there are still many more to be discovered) to allow one to conceive it possible to achieve a satisfactory therapeutic effect by merely blocking some of them. Inflammation of the bronchial wall is currently considered to be one of the basic pathogenic factors provoking the recurrence of asthma: this is proved indirectly by the potent antiasthmatic effect of corticosteroids which are the most effective anti-inflammatory agents. As regards nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID), however, matters are more complicated.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Topics: Adrenal Cortex Hormones; Adrenergic alpha-Agonists; Ascorbic Acid; Asthma; Bronchitis; Calcium Channel Blockers; Chromones; Cromolyn Sodium; Humans; Lung Diseases, Obstructive; Prostaglandins E

Topics: Aged; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Ascorbic Acid; Bronchitis; Female; Humans; Hypothermia; Male; Nutrition Disorders; Respiratory Tract Infections; Seasons

Topics: Animals; Ascorbic Acid; Binding Sites; Bird Diseases; Bronchitis; Cells, Cultured; Chick Embryo; Cysteine; Dithiothreitol; Glutathione; Hydroxymercuribenzoates; Kidney; Mercaptoethanol; Neuraminic Acids; Neuraminidase; Newcastle disease virus; Oxidation-Reduction; RNA Viruses; Salicylates; Sulfhydryl Compounds; Swine; Virus Diseases

Topics: Acetylcysteine; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Ascorbic Acid; Bronchi; Bronchitis; Bronchodilator Agents; Deoxyribonucleases; DNA; Edetic Acid; Epithelium; Glycosaminoglycans; Humans; Mucus; Peptide Hydrolases; Respiratory Therapy; Sputum; Trachea; Urea; Viscosity

Topics: Adrenal Cortex Hormones; Adult; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Ascorbic Acid; Bronchitis; Calcium; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Tracheitis

Topics: Acetylcysteine; Ascorbic Acid; Bronchitis; Copper; Expectorants; Humans; Hydrogen Peroxide; Rheology; Sputum; Viscosity

Topics: Adult; Aerosols; Ascorbic Acid; Bronchitis; Dermatologic Agents; Dust; Humans; Infections; Inflammation; Middle Aged; Occupational Diseases; Silicosis; Tannins

Topics: Ascorbic Acid; Bronchitis; Carbonates; Evaluation Studies as Topic; Expectorants; Humans; Respiratory Function Tests; Sulfates; Viscosity

Topics: Ammonium Compounds; Anti-Infective Agents, Local; Ascorbic Acid; Asthma; Bronchitis; Germany; Germany, West; Humans; Hydrocortisone; Hypercholesterolemia; Isoproterenol; Pentylenetetrazole; Pulmonary Emphysema; Quaternary Ammonium Compounds; Reserpine; Synephrine; Thyroxine

Topics: Ascorbic Acid; Breathing Exercises; Bronchitis; Geriatrics; Humans; Respiratory Function Tests; Respiratory System; Respiratory Tract Diseases; Tetracycline; Vitamin A

Topics: Analgesics; Analgesics, Non-Narcotic; Antipyretics; Ascorbic Acid; Bronchitis; Child; Fever; Guaiacol; Humans; Infant; Measles; Suppositories