[Do Vitamins Play a Role in the Pathogenesis and Therapy of Sepsis?]

Hospital mortality of severe sepsis and septic shock is still around 40 % according to recent studies. In accordance to the current sepsis definition, sepsis is a life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by a dysregulated response of the organism to infection. Septic shock is defined by vasopressor-dependent circulatory failure and lactic acidosis. Patients with sepsis and septic shock are often old and/or characterized by severe comorbidities, e. g. tumor or liver disease. These factors also predispose to malnutrition and hence to a corresponding deficiency of essential nutritional components e. g. vitamins. A number of recent studies and reviews have addressed the question whether deficiencies in certain vitamins may facilitate the transition from infection to septic shock. In addition, studies have investigated the effect of high-dose vitamin therapies on sepsis mortality and sepsis-associated organ dysfunctions. This article would like to summarize this current discussion with a focus on vitamin B₁ (thiamine), vitamin C and vitamin D.