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Does vitamin C supplementation improve rotator cuff healing? A preliminary study
M Martel1, P Laumonerie2, M Girard2
1Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Toulouse, Hôpital Pierre Paul Riquet, Place Baylac, 31059, Toulouse Cedex09, France. martel.m@chu-toulouse.fr.
Purpose:
One of the complications after rotator cuff repair is a tendon non-healing. It has already been posited in the literature that vitamin C (VC) promotes tendon healing through its antioxidant properties and its role as a cofactor in collagen synthesis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of postoperative VC supplementation on the tendon healing following repair.
Methods:
This randomized monocentric prospective study included 98 patients who underwent arthroscopic rotator cuff repair in 1-year period and follow-up ultrasound 6 months postoperatively. The cohort was divided into two groups: the VC+ group (500 mg/day PO for 45 days postoperatively) and the VC- group (no supplementation). The evaluation criterion was tendon healing at 6 months postoperatively according to the Sugaya ultrasound classification. Preoperative and postoperative clinical evaluations were based on active mobilities, the Constant score and the subjective shoulder value.
Results:
There was no difference in term of postoperative outcomes between the two groups. At an average follow-up of 6.3 months, the non-healing rate in the overall population was 17%. This rate was higher in VC- compared to VC+, respectively, 23% vs. 11%), p = 0.2.
Conclusion:
This study showed a trend to improve tendon healing after rotator cuff repair with VC supplementation. However, a prospective study with a larger patient population should be conducted to confirm this finding.
