ascorbic-acid and Paraplegia

In a prospective double-blind controlled trial the effect of large doses of ascorbic acid on the healing of pressure-sores has been assessed. 20 surgical patients were studied, the pressure areas being assessed by serial photography and ulcer tracings. The mean ascorbic-acid levels in treated and non-treated groups one month after the start of treatment were 65.6 and 25.8 mug per 10-8 white blood-cells. In the group treated with ascorbic acid there was a mean reduction in pressure-sore area of 84% after one month compared with 42.7% in the placebo group. These findings are statistically significant (P less than 0.005) and suggest that ascorbic acid may accelerate the healing of pressure-sores.

Topics: Aged; Arthritis, Rheumatoid; Ascorbic Acid; Ascorbic Acid Deficiency; Cerebrovascular Disorders; Clinical Trials as Topic; Female; Fractures, Bone; Humans; Leukocytes; Male; Middle Aged; Paraplegia; Postoperative Complications; Pressure Ulcer; Prospective Studies; Vascular Diseases; Wound Healing

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Ascorbic Acid; Biopsy; Child; Clinical Trials as Topic; Collagen; Female; Humans; Leukocytes; Male; Middle Aged; Paraplegia; Placebos; Pressure Ulcer; Skin; Smoking; Wound Healing

to evaluate the effectiveness of an intraaortic delivered solution on preventing spinal cord injury.. forty rabbits were allocated into five equal groups.. one clamp was placed just distal to the left renal artery, and another was placed just above the iliac bifurcation for 40 min. Group 1 was not infused (control group). Through a 24G vascular catheter inserted into the isolated aortic segment, 20 ml of LR solution at room temperature (Group 2) 20 ml of LR solution at 3 degrees C (Group 3), and 20 ml of LR solution at 3 degrees C containing 30 mg/kg of methylprednisolone (Group 4) were infused over 3 min. In Group 5, 10 mg/kg of vitamins E and C were delivered two days before the experiment, and 20 ml of LR solution at 3 degrees C containing 30 mg/kg of methylprednisolone, and 10 mg/kg of vitamins E and C was infused at the operation. Postoperative spinal cord function was assessed using Tarlov's criteria.. the neurologic status of Groups 3, 4, and 5 was significantly superior to that of Groups 1 and 2. No paraplegia was observed in Groups 4 and 5. Spastic paraplegia occurred in all rabbits of Groups 1 and 2, and in 20% of Group 3. In the electron microscopic evaluation of spinal cord specimens, normal histologic structure was observed in Groups 4 and 5, whereas, some derangements were observed in all others.. intraaortic infusion of a hypothermic blended solution containing methylprednisolone, vitamins C and E provided best protection against postischaemic spinal cord dysfunction.

Topics: Animals; Aorta, Abdominal; Ascorbic Acid; Drug Therapy, Combination; Hypothermia, Induced; Infusions, Intra-Arterial; Isotonic Solutions; Methylprednisolone; Nerve Degeneration; Paraplegia; Rabbits; Ringer's Lactate; Spinal Cord; Spinal Cord Ischemia; Vitamin E

We present a clinically available method to protect the spinal cord against ischemic or reperfusion injury and to prevent paraplegia after cross-clamping of the aorta. We separated 35 rabbits into five equal groups and clamped each animal's abdominal aorta distal to the left renal artery. We also occluded the aortas 2 cm above the iliac bifurcation for 45 minutes with inflated 5F balloon catheters. Through the catheter port distal to each balloon one of four different solutions was infused at 3 degrees C for 3 minutes at a rate of 5 mL/min (group I, uninfused control; group II, lactated Ringer's solution; group III, lactated Ringer's solution + 30 mg/kg of methylprednisolone; group IV, lactated Ringer's solution+methylprednisolone + 3 mL of 20% mannitol; group V, lactated Ringer's solution+methylprednisolone+mannitol + 10 mg/kg of vitamins E and C). We assessed the neurologic status of the hind limbs on the second postoperative day using Tarlov's criteria. The neurologic status in groups III, IV, and V was significantly superior to that of group I (p < 0.05, groups III versus I; p < 0.01, groups IV and V versus I). Spastic paraplegia occurred in 71% of group I, in 43% of group II, in 29% of group III, in 14% of group IV, and not at all in group V. The infusion of our specially blended solution with several spinal cord neuroprotective properties (hypothermia, methylprednisolone, mannitol, and vitamins E and C) achieved the best spinal cord protection against ischemic or reperfusion injury and prevented postoperative paraplegia.

Topics: Animals; Aorta, Abdominal; Ascorbic Acid; Constriction; Electrolytes; Hindlimb; Hypothermia, Induced; Isotonic Solutions; Mannitol; Methylprednisolone; Osmolar Concentration; Paraplegia; Rabbits; Regional Blood Flow; Reperfusion Injury; Ringer's Lactate; Spinal Cord; Time Factors; Vitamin E

The development of permanent paraplegia in spinal injured cats is accompanied by a large progressive decline in total ascorbic acid (AA) and a transient increase in oxidized (AAox) ascorbate. Since AA is involved in a variety of processes required for normal central nervous system (CNS) performance we suggested that such large ascorbate loss may contribute to derangements in spinal cord function following injury. We now demonstrate that methylprednisolone (15 mg/kg) and naloxone (10 mg/kg), two treatments that preserve neurologic function in this model, rapidly block deteriorating ascorbate status. Naloxone at 1 mg/kg, a treatment providing no therapeutic benefit, has no protective effect on ascorbate. The results strongly support the hypothesis that loss of ascorbate homeostasis reflects irreversible loss of neurologic function following spinal cord injury.

Topics: Animals; Ascorbic Acid; Cats; Disease Models, Animal; Homeostasis; Locomotion; Methylprednisolone; Naloxone; Paraplegia; Spinal Cord Injuries; Time Factors

Topics: Angiography; Animals; Ascorbic Acid; Blood Vessels; Cats; Female; Humans; Intervertebral Disc; Male; Methenamine; Motor Neurons; Myelography; Nerve Tissue; Neuroradiography; Paraplegia; Pressure; Quadriplegia; Rabbits; Spinal Canal; Spinal Cord Compression; Spinal Cord Injuries; Spinal Cord Neoplasms; Urinary Catheterization; Urinary Tract Infections; Urination Disorders; Urologic Diseases

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Ascorbic Acid; Ascorbic Acid Deficiency; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Paraplegia; Pressure Ulcer; Quadriplegia; Skin; Wound Healing

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Animals; Ascorbic Acid; Ascorbic Acid Deficiency; Guinea Pigs; Humans; Middle Aged; Paraplegia; Pressure Ulcer; Rats; Wound Healing

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Ascorbic Acid; Bethanechol Compounds; Humans; Male; Methenamine; Middle Aged; Paraplegia; Parasympathomimetics; Spinal Cord Injuries; Urinary Catheterization; Urinary Tract Infections; Urine

Topics: Ascorbic Acid; Humans; Indomethacin; Muscle Relaxants, Central; Paraplegia; Vitamins; Zoxazolamine