Oral Vitamin C (500 mg/d) to Pregnant Smokers Improves Infant Airway Function at 3 Months (VCSIP). A Randomized Trial

Rationale: We reported a randomized trial demonstrating daily supplemental vitamin C to pregnant smokers significantly improved newborn pulmonary function tests. The current study tests these results in a new cohort using infant pulmonary function tests. Objectives: To determine if infants of pregnant smokers randomized to daily supplemental vitamin C would have improved forced expiratory flows (FEFs) at 3 months of age compared with those randomized to placebo, and to investigate the association of the α5 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor. Methods: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted at three centers. Two hundred fifty-one pregnant smokers were randomized at 13-23 weeks of gestation: 125 randomized to vitamin C (500 mg/d) and 126 to placebo. Measurements and Main Results: The primary outcome was FEF75 at 3 months of age performed with the raised volume rapid thoracic compression technique (Jaeger/Viasys). FEF50 and FEF25-75 obtained from the same expiratory curves were prespecified secondary outcomes. The infants of pregnant smokers randomized to vitamin C (n = 113) had the following FEFs at 3 months of age compared with those randomized to placebo (n =  109) as measured by FEF75 (200.7 vs. 188.7 ml/s; adjusted 95% confidence interval [CI] for difference, -3.33 to 35.64; P = 0.10), FEF50 (436.7 vs. 408.5 ml/s; adjusted 95% CI for difference, 6.10-61.30; P = 0.02), and FEF25-75 (387.4 vs. 365.8 ml/s; adjusted 95% CI for difference, 0.92-55.34; P = 0.04). Infant FEFs seemed to be negatively associated with the maternal risk alleles for the α5 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (rs16969968). Conclusions: Although the primary outcome of FEF75 was not improved after vitamin C supplementation to pregnant smokers, the predetermined secondary outcomes FEF50 and FEF25-75 were significantly improved. These results extend our previous findings and demonstrate improved airway function (FEF50 and FEF25-75) at 3 months of age in infants after vitamin C supplementation to pregnant smokers. Clinical trial registered with www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT01723696).

The influence of thoracic gas compression and airflow density dependence on the assessment of pulmonary function at high altitude

The purpose of this report was to illustrate how thoracic gas compression (TGC) artifact, and differences in air density, may together conflate the interpretation of changes in the forced expiratory flows (FEFs) at high altitude (>2400 m). Twenty-four adults (10 women; 44 ± 15 year) with normal baseline pulmonary function (>90% predicted) completed a 12-day sojourn at Mt. Kilimanjaro. Participants were assessed at Moshi (Day 0, 853 m) and at Barafu Camp (Day 9, 4837 m). Typical maximal expiratory flow-volume (MEFV) curves were obtained in accordance with ATS/ERS guidelines, and were either: (1) left unadjusted; (2) adjusted for TGC by constructing a "maximal perimeter" MEFV curve; or (3) adjusted for both TGC and differences in air density between altitudes. Forced vital capacity (FVC) was lower at Barafu compared with Moshi camp (5.19 ± 1.29 L vs. 5.40 ± 1.45 L, P < 0.05). Unadjusted data indicated no difference in the mid-expiratory flows (FEF25-75% ) between altitudes (∆ + 0.03 ± 0.53 L sec-1 ; ∆ + 1.2 ± 11.9%). Conversely, TGC-adjusted data revealed that FEF25-75% was significantly improved by sojourning at high altitude (∆ + 0.58 ± 0.78 L sec-1 ; ∆ + 12.9 ± 16.5%, P < 0.05). Finally, when data were adjusted for TGC and air density, FEFs were "less than expected" due to the lower air density at Barafu compared with Moshi camp (∆-0.54 ± 0.68 L sec-1 ; ∆-10.9 ± 13.0%, P < 0.05), indicating a mild obstructive defect had developed on ascent to high altitude. These findings clearly demonstrate the influence that TGC artifact, and differences in air density, bear on flow-volume data; consequently, it is imperative that future investigators adjust for, or at least acknowledge, these confounding factors when comparing FEFs between altitudes.