Influence of antioxidant therapy on the clinical status of multiple trauma patients. A retrospective single center study.

Introduction: The biochemical processes of bioproduction of free radicals (FR) are significantly increasing in polytrauma patients. Decreased plasma concentrations of antioxidants, correlated with a disturbance of the redox balance are responsible for the installation of the phenomenon called oxidative stress (OS). OS action is associated with a series of secondary complications with direct implications in reducing the rate of survival, as well as in increasing morbidity The objectives of this study were to reveal possible relations between antioxidant therapy and a number of serum biochemical variables (ALT, AST, APPT, LDH, urea, leukocytes, platelets), the length of mechanical ventilation, the time spent in the ICU, and the mortality rate in major trauma patients.

Materials And Methods: In this retrospective study from a single center, 64 medical files of polytrauma patients admitted to the ICU "Casa Austria" were analysed. The selection criteria were: the Injury Severity Score (ISS) > 16 and a systolic arterial pressure (SAP) < 89 mmHg. The selected patients (n = 34) were divided into two groups: Antiox group, 20 patients who benefited from antioxidant therapy and the Contr group, 14 patients who did not received antioxidant therapy and served as a control group. The antioxidant therapy consisted of the simultaneous administration of vitamin C (i.v.), vitamin B1 (i.v.) and N-acetylcysteine (i.v.). The clinical and the biological evaluation were performed repeatedly until discharge from the ICU or the death of the patient.

Results: No significant differences were highlighted concerning the demographic data, the magnitude or the trauma mechanism between the two groups. In comparison with patients from the Contr group, the patients submitted to antioxidant therapy showed lower values after the treatment for leukocytes (p = 0.0066), urea (p = 0.0076), LDH (p = 0.0238), AST (p = 0.0070) and ALT (p < 0.0001). No statistically significant differences were evidenced regarding the incidence of sepsis or the development of multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS). The period of mechanical ventilation was longer in patients from the Contr group (p = 0.0498), with no differences concerning the ICU length of stay (p = 0.7313). The mortality rate was lower in the Contr group (p = 0.0475).

Conclusion: In multiple trauma patients a prolonged antioxidant therapy improved the posttraumatic laboratory tests.