Interest of Ascorbic Acid in the Management of Pneumonia in Elderly People Hospitalized. (PNEUMO-VITA-C)

May 20, 2026 updated by: University Hospital, Bordeaux
Pneumonia is the second common infection and its risk increases for elderly. In this population, it is the first cause of mortality by infections, and source of many complications. Geriatric studies had shown the high prevalence of ascorbic acid 's deficiency, especially in older hospitalized people. It is well known that vitamin C is one of the key of the immune system, it has a scavenger's role in case of aggression like sepsis. A Cochrane database published in 2013 analyzed the impact of vitamin C for preventing and treating pneumonia. Two randomized studies showed a benefit on respiratory symptoms for patients treated by vitamin C, and for one of those studies it was noted a significant reduction of mortality. The main objective of our study is first to determine the impact on respiratory symptoms of an adjuvant treatment by vitamin C for the management of pneumonia in older people hospitalized, and then evaluate its impact on functional status.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Terminated

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

This study is French non-comparative phase II clinical trial, double-blind randomized, with placebo, single-center. One group would be treated the placebo group, and another would receive an adjuvant treatment by vitamin C : 500 mg twice a day by intra-venous way from the first day to the second included, and then 500 mg twice a day by oral way from the third day to the seventh. For each patient, the study's duration is 7 days, which is the mean stay of hospitalization. During those 7 days, we will make clinical exams and blood tests at d0, d2, d4 and d7. The vitamin C blood level will be measured at d0 and d7.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
9

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Phase 2

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • France
      • Bordeaux, France, 33000
        • CHU de BORDEAUX, Hopital Saint Andre

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

75 years and older (Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • people aged ≥ 75 years old

  • pneumonia's symptoms according to the SPILF (Société de Pathologie Infectieuse de Langue Française) :

    • cough
    • at least one respiratory sign : dyspnea, chest pain, wheezing, and local signs at the auscultation
    • at least one general sign suggesting an infection : fever, sweat, headache, sore joints, common cold
  • pneumonia's symptoms developed between the admission's date in the unit care and the seventh day included

Exclusion Criteria:

  • palliative care's patients
  • patients with deglutition's disorders
  • patients who can't be on a drip
  • antibiotherapy since more one day
  • other concomitant infection(s)
  • patients who can't make their own transfer 15 days ago
  • patients who have a NYHA score at IV 15 days ago
  • patients with contraindication to a vitamin C treatment : hemochromatosis, oxalo-calcic lithiasis antecedent, G6PD deficit (Glucose 6 Phosphate Dehydrogenase), and treatment by Deferoxamine

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Double

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Vitamin C
Each patient of this group will be received a direct intravenous injection of 2,5 ml ascorbic acid twice a day (at the morning and the lunchtime) from d1 to d2 included. From d3 to d7 included, ascorbic acid's capsules produced by the University Hospital Bordeaux's central pharmacy to keep the double blind way of this study will be given at patient at the morning and at the lunchtime.
Drug: Vitamin C
Placebo Comparator: Placebo
Each patient of this group will be received a direct intravenous injection of 2,5 ml NaCl 9% twice a day (at the morning and the lunchtime) from d1 to d2 included. From d3 to d7 included, mannitol's capsules produced by the University Hospital Bordeaux's central pharmacy will be given at patient at the morning and at the lunchtime.
Drug: Placebo

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Difference in the NYHA score between d-15 and d4 after treatment initiation
Time Frame: 4 days after randomisation/treatment initiation
The NYHA score d-15 would be noted by medical staff at the inclusion by calling the patient's general practitioner. The NYHA score at d4 will be noted by investigators treating the patient.
4 days after randomisation/treatment initiation

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
The NYHA score at d2 and d7
Time Frame: 2 and 7 days after randomisation/treament initiation
2 and 7 days after randomisation/treament initiation
Dyspnea's visual analogic scale at d2, d4 and d7
Time Frame: 2, 4 and 7 days after randomisation/treament initiation
2, 4 and 7 days after randomisation/treament initiation
Blood saturation without oxygen therapy at d2, d4 and d7
Time Frame: 2, 4 and 7 days after randomisation/treament initiation
2, 4 and 7 days after randomisation/treament initiation
Katz's ADL (Activities Daily Living) score at d2,d4 and d7
Time Frame: 2, 4 and 7 days after randomisation/treament initiation
Katz's ADL will be calculated by medical trained students or doctors at d2, d4 and d7
2, 4 and 7 days after randomisation/treament initiation
Asthenia's evaluation at d2,d4 and d7
Time Frame: 2, 4 and 7 days after randomisation/treament initiation
2, 4 and 7 days after randomisation/treament initiation
Possibility for the patient to make his or her own transfer at d2,d4 and d7
Time Frame: 2, 4 and 7 days after randomisation/treament initiation
2, 4 and 7 days after randomisation/treament initiation
Morbidity-mortality at d2,d4 and d7
Time Frame: 2, 4 and 7 days after randomisation/treament initiation
2, 4 and 7 days after randomisation/treament initiation
Blood inflammation parameters at d2,d4 and d7
Time Frame: 2, 4 and 7 days after randomisation/treament initiation
Leukocytes and polynuclear neutrophil 's rates, with C-reactive protein will be measured at d2, d4 and d7
2, 4 and 7 days after randomisation/treament initiation
Vitamin C blood level at d7
Time Frame: 7 days after randomisation/treament initiation
7 days after randomisation/treament initiation

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
University Hospital, Bordeaux

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Aurélie LAFARGUE, MD, University Hospital Bordeaux (France)
  • Study Chair: Antoine BENARD, MD, University Hospital Bordeaux (France)

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
February 1, 2015

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
May 1, 2016

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
May 1, 2016

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
July 4, 2014

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
July 4, 2014

First Posted (Estimated)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
July 10, 2014

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
May 22, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
May 20, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
September 1, 2016

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • CHUBX 2013/09
  • 2014-000788-42 (EudraCT Number)

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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