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Volume 310:1209-1212 May 10, 1984 Number 19 Next

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Abstract

We studied serum vitamin E levels and the ratio of serum vitamin E to serum lipid levels in 11 children with chronic cholestasis complicated by vitamin E deficiency, as defined by characteristic neurologic signs or sural-nerve histopathology in addition to impaired intestinal absorption of vitamin E. Eight of the children had low levels of serum vitamin E, as well as low ratios of serum vitamin E to total lipids and to cholesterol. However, three patients had normal serum vitamin E levels but low ratios of serum vitamin E to total lipids (two of the three had normal ratios of vitamin E to cholesterol). In four patients who were not vitamin E-deficient, all three values were normal. We conclude that vitamin E deficiency may exist in a child with a normal serum vitamin E concentration and that the ratio of serum vitamin E to total serum lipids is the most reliable biochemical index of vitamin E status during chronic childhood cholestasis.

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• Gross, M., Yu, X., Hannan, P., Prouty, C., Jacobs, D. R Jr (2003). Lipid standardization of serum fat-soluble antioxidant concentrations: the YALTA study. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 77: 458-466 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
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