Effects of replacement of ascorbic acid in patients undergoing hemodialysis: A Clinical trial

Context: Anemia is common in patients with chronic kidney disease undergoing hemodialysis treatment, and oxidative stress and persistent inflammatory state are important for its genesis. Ascorbic acid, a known antioxidant, can serve as an adjunct to your management. Objective: to evaluate the effect of intravenous ascorbic acid’s replacement in chronic renal patients undergoing hemodialysis. Design, Setting, Participants: We conducted a randomized, controlled, triple-blind clinical trial in 45 dialysis patients in a Dialysis Clinical Center, between October 2020 to February 2021.Interventions:an Experimental group received 500mg intravenous ascorbic acid after hemodialysis versusa group Control, which received placebo, for four months. Main Outcome Measure: Hemoglobin (monthly), transferrin and ferritin saturation (bimonthly), serum ascorbic acid (beginning and at the end of the intervention), and serum oxalate (after intervention) were evaluated. Results: Hemoglobin significantly reduced in the Control group, remaining stable in the Experimental group. When selecting only patients with hemoglobin below 12g/dl, there was an increase in their mean in the Experimental Group. Ferritin increased in the Control Group, while the transferrin saturation index increased in the Experimental group. Serum ascorbic acid was low in both groups and didn´t show a significant increase. Serum oxalate was considerably higher in the group that received ascorbic acid at the end of the study. Conclusion: The use Ascorbic Acid could prevent high hemoglobin variation in patients with chronic kidney disease undergoing hemodialysis; however, its routine use is not recommended.