High-Dose Intravenous Vitamin C and Mortality and Organ Dysfunction in Severe Burn Injury: The VICTORY…

Randomized trialJAMA· Jun 2026

High-Dose Intravenous Vitamin C and Mortality and Organ Dysfunction in Severe Burn Injury: The VICTORY Randomized Clinical Trial.

Christian Stoppe, Aileen Hill, Leopoldo C Cancio … VICTORY Study Team

Burns & Wound ReconstructionRandomized trialTreatmentQ1IF 8.0

High-dose IV vitamin C increased 28-day mortality in severe burn injury

High-Dose Intravenous Vitamin C and Mortality and Organ Dysfunction in Severe Burn Injury: The VICTORY Randomized Clinical Trial.

Christian Stoppe … VICTORY Study Team

JAMA · Jun 2026 · Q1 in General Medicine

Background

IMPORTANCE: Severe burn injury triggers systemic inflammation that can lead to multiple organ dysfunctions and death.

Purpose

To evaluate the efficacy of high-dose intravenous vitamin C in patients with severe burn injury.

Methods

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 3 trial conducted across 24 burn centers in North, Central, and South America; Europe; and Asia.

n = 238 patients

Results

vitamin c nearly doubled the risk of dying within 28 days

RR 1.96 (95% CI 1.32 to 2.90)

CI excludes the null - significant

More results

Among 238 patients enrolled (mean age, 48.9 [SD, 19.1] years; 79% male; mean total body surface area, 37.0% [SD, 14.6%]), 120 were assigned to vitamin C and 118 to placebo.

More results

The primary composite outcome occurred in 49 patients (40.8%) in the vitamin C group and 35 patients (29.7%) in the placebo group (adjusted risk ratio [RR], 1.28 [95% CI, 0.99-1.65]; P = .06), crossing the prespecified futility/harm threshold and prompting early trial termination.

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Conclusion

Among patients with severe burn injury, high-dose intravenous vitamin C did not reduce 28-day mortality and persistent organ dysfunction and is possibly harmful.

High-Dose Intravenous Vitamin C and Mortality and Organ Dysfunction in Severe Burn Injury: The VICTORY Randomized Clinical Trial.

High-Dose Intravenous Vitamin C and Mortality and Organ Dysfunction in Severe Burn Injury: The VICTORY Randomized Clinical Trial.

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