FREE NEJM E-TOC    HOME   |   SUBSCRIBE   |   CURRENT ISSUE   |   PAST ISSUES   |   COLLECTIONS   |   Search Term  Advanced Search

Sign in | Get NEJM's E-Mail Table of Contents — Free | Subscribe

Previous Volume 313:1580-1586 December 19, 1985 Number 25 Next

	Add to Personal Archive Add to Citation Manager Notify a Friend E-mail When Cited PubMed Citation

Abstract

We studied the effect of long-term correction of vitamin E deficiency on neurologic function in 14 children with chronic cholestasis. Vitamin E repletion was achieved in all, either by large oral doses (up to 120 IU per kilogram of body weight per day) or by intramuscular administration of dl-alpha-tocopherol (0.8 to 2.0 IU per kilogram per day). With early institution of therapy, neurologic function remained normal in two asymptomatic children below the age of three years after 15 and 18 months of therapy. Neurologic function became normal in three symptomatic children below age three after 18 to 32 months of therapy. Restitution of neurologic function was more limited in nine symptomatic children 5 to 17 1/2 years old after 18 to 48 months of therapy. We conclude that vitamin E repletion therapy should be initiated at an early age in children with chronic cholestasis complicated by vitamin E deficiency, to prevent irreversible neurologic injury.

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Hayton, S. M., Kriss, T., Wade, A., Muller, D. P. R. (2006). Effects on Neural Function of Repleting Vitamin E-Deficient Rats With {alpha}-Tocopherol. J. Neurophysiol. 95: 2553-2559 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrit, (2002). Guidelines for the Use of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition in Adult and Pediatric Patients. JPEN J Parenter Enteral Nutr 26: 1SA-138SA  
• BRIGELIUS-FLOHÉ, R., TRABER, M. G. (1999). Vitamin E: function and metabolism. FASEB J. 13: 1145-1155 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Perlmutter, D. H., Gross, P., Jones, H. R., Fulton, A., Grand, R. J. (1987). Intramuscular Vitamin E Repletion in Children With Chronic Cholestasis. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 141: 170-174 [Abstract]