ORIGINAL ARTICLE   

Minerva Pediatrics 2021 February;73(1):22-7

DOI: 10.23736/S2724-5276.16.04621-1

Copyright © 2016 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

lingua: Inglese

Beneficial therapeutic effects of vitamin C on recurrent respiratory tract infections in children: preliminary data

Pietro FERRARA ^{1, 2} ✉, Francesca IANNIELLO ¹, Virginia BIANCHI ³, Fabio QUINTARELLI ², Michela CAMMERATA ², Enrica QUATTROCCHI ², Gloria M. TERRANOVA ², Giacinto A. MIGGIANO ⁴, Manuele CASALE ⁵

¹ Institute of Pediatrics, Sacred Heart Catholic University, Rome, Italy; ² Unit of Pediatrics, Campus Bio-Medico University, Rome, Italy; ³ Unit of Food Sciences and Human Nutrition, Campus Bio-Medico University, Rome, Italy; ⁴ Unit of Clinical Nutrition, Sacred Heart Catholic University, Rome, Italy; ⁵ Unit of Otolaryngology, Campus Bio-Medico University, Rome, Italy

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to demonstrate whether supplementation of vitamin C has a beneficial effect in the prevention of recurrent respiratory tract infections (RTIs) in children. Moreover, we evaluate the main risk factors that predispose to the development of this disease.
METHODS: Sixty children have been enrolled in the study and randomized into two groups: the control group (G1 N.=33) and the group at risk of recurrent RTIs (G2 N.=27). To G2 group was administered every day 100% orange juice with the content of vitamin C 70 mg.
RESULTS: Significant reduction in the incidence rate of RTIs (episodes pre-treatment: 182-6.75 episodes/child, after-treatment: 71-2.62 episodes/child, P<0.05), were observed in G2 group.
CONCLUSIONS: The administration of vitamin C had a beneficial effect in our group of children with recurrent RTIs, reducing the number of infective episodes.

KEY WORDS: Ascorbic acid; Respiratory tract infections; Child