Oral vitamins C and E as additional treatment in patients with acute anterior uveitis: a randomised double masked study in 145 patients

Aim-To investigate the effect of additional oral vitamins C and E on acute anterior uveitis. Methods-A placebo controlled double masked study on the effect of vitamin C 500 mg in combination with vitamin E 100 mg twice daily in 145 patients wi th acute anterior uveitis. As a primary end point variable, laser cell/flar e measurements were performed. Best corrected and stenopeic visual acuity ( VA) testing and clinical variable scores were measured. Results-Laser flare measurements (ph/s) before treatment were 207.1 (SD 258 ) in the vitamin group and 143.6 (156) in the placebo group. After 3 days c orresponding values were 80.2 (129) and 54.7 (82), after 7 days 89.2 (187) (12.5) and 85.8 (208), after 14 days 47.1 (109.5) and 40.5 (116) after 28 d ays 23.1 (53.6) and 23.1 (48), and after 56 days 15.6 (26) and 15.3 (17). T here was no significant difference in time trend between the two treatment groups (RMANOVA; p = 0.53). Baseline VA (log-MAR) was 0.106 (0.241) in the vitamin group and 0.128 (0.456) in the placebo group. VA after 3 days was 0 .236 (0.293) and 0.344 (0.489), after 7 days 0.204 (0.292) and 0.292 (0.479 ), after 14 days 0.162 (0.274) and 0.193 (0.454), after 28 days 0.096 (0.23 2) and 0.158 (0.436), and 0.026 (0.213) and 0.106 (0.437) after 56 days. Al though no significant difference in time trend was detected, evaluation of the VA data of the last time point (56 days) by means of the Mann-Whitney t est showed a significantly better VA in the vitamin group (p = 0.01). Conclusions-There was no significant effect of vitamins C and E on laser da re measurements. The significant effect of the oral vitamins on visual acui ty at 8 weeks after start of the oral vitamins C and E may indicate a prote ctive effect in patients with acute anterior uveitis.