Outcome Following Vitamin C Administration in Sepsis

This study is designed to determine if Vitamin C administration to septic patients will result in an improvement in organ dysfunction which occurs during a septic illness. Hypothesis: 1. Vitamin C in sepsis will reduce the injury to organs 2. Vitamin C will reduce the length of time on a ventilator, length of stay in the intensive care unit and in hospital.

This study will measure biomarkers of inflammation, coagulation and oxidative stress. These biomarkers have been shown to be increased during periods of oxidative stress eg post-operative, trauma, sepsis. The investigators will determine if Vitamin C administration decreases oxidative stress and as a result, a decrease in the markers of organ dysfunction eg SOFA Scores. Ultimately, if the investigators show a decrease in injury to organs, will this result in a better outcome for patients.

Intravenous Vitamin C will be administered (1 gram) every 8 hours for 28 days or discharge from intensive care unit

placebo vehicle administered to match volume of treatment drug every 8 hours for 28 days or until discharge from ICU

Scoring system to determine the extent of a patient's organ function or rate of failure. The score based on 6 different scores; one each for respiratory, hepatic, cardiovascular, renal, coagulation, neurologic.

Vitamin C Assays - Plasma/WBC Cytokines (8- plex) Adhesion Molecules Procalcitonin C-Reactive Protein,H igh Sensitivity High Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Tbars F2 isoprostane Neutrophil elastase Thrombomodulin Free DNA HIF-1α

Inclusion Criteria: diagnosis of severe sepsis admitted to the intensive care unit Exclusion Criteria: allergy to Vitamin C history of kidney stones glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency history of iron overload/hemochromatosis