[Clinical study of vitamin E status in patients with chronic liver diseases]

Vitamin E status was evaluated in patients with chronic liver diseases (chronic hepatitis, CH; n = 27 and liver cirrhosis, LC; n = 32) by the ratio of plasma alpha-tocopherol to plasma lipids (P-toc/lipid) and red blood cell alpha-tocopherol (RBC-toc). P-toc/lipid and RBC-Toc were significantly reduced in LC patients compared to controls (n = 31). There was a significant correlation between P-Toc/lipid and RBC-Toc values. Low vitamin E status was found in 3 patients with CH (11.1%) and 12 patients with LC (37.5%), but their P-Toc values were not necessarily reduced. Serum beta-lipoprotein concentration (beta-lipo) did not differ significantly between the low vitamin E group and the normal vitamin E group, but the ratio of P-Toc to beta-lipo was significantly reduced in the low vitamin E group. No significant differences were found in the clinical features or liver functions tests including parameters of hepatic synthetic functions and cholestasis between the two groups. Factors other than a cholestasis or an impaired synthesis of carrier protein may also be responsible for the frequent occurrence of low vitamin E status in patients with LC.