Oral Vitamin C (500 mg/d) to Pregnant Smokers Improves Infant Airway Function at 3 Months (VCSIP) A Randomized Trial

Published In

American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine

Document Type

Citation

Publication Date

5-1-2019

Abstract

Rationale: We reported a randomized trial demonstrating daily supplemental vitamin C to pregnant smokers significantly improved newborn pulmonary function tests. The current study tests these results in a new cohort using infant pulmonary function tests.

Objectives: To determine if infants of pregnant smokers randomized to daily supplemental vitamin C would have improved forced expiratory flows (FEFs) at 3 months of age compared with those randomized to placebo, and to investigate the association of the α5 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor.

Methods: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted at three centers. Two hundred fifty-one pregnant smokers were randomized at 13–23 weeks of gestation: 125 randomized to vitamin C (500 mg/d) and 126 to placebo.

Measurements and Main Results: The primary outcome was FEF75 at 3 months of age performed with the raised volume rapid thoracic compression technique (Jaeger/Viasys). FEF50 and FEF25–75 obtained from the same expiratory curves were prespecified secondary outcomes. The infants of pregnant smokers randomized to vitamin C (n = 113) had the following FEFs at 3 months of age compared with those randomized to placebo (n =  109) as measured by FEF75 (200.7 vs. 188.7 ml/s; adjusted 95% confidence interval [CI] for difference, −3.33 to 35.64; P = 0.10), FEF50 (436.7 vs. 408.5 ml/s; adjusted 95% CI for difference, 6.10–61.30; P = 0.02), and FEF25–75 (387.4 vs. 365.8 ml/s; adjusted 95% CI for difference, 0.92–55.34; P = 0.04). Infant FEFs seemed to be negatively associated with the maternal risk alleles for the α5 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (rs16969968).

Conclusions: Although the primary outcome of FEF75 was not improved after vitamin C supplementation to pregnant smokers, the predetermined secondary outcomes FEF50 and FEF25–75 were significantly improved. These results extend our previous findings and demonstrate improved airway function (FEF50and FEF25–75) at 3 months of age in infants after vitamin C supplementation to pregnant smokers.

Description

Copyright © 1987-2018 American Thoracic Society, All Rights Reserved.

DOI

10.1164/rccm.201805-1011OC

Persistent Identifier

https://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/28698

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