Comparison of vitamin E and 25-hydroxyvitamin D absorption during childhood cholestasis

To characterize differences in intestinal absorption of fat-soluble vitamins during cholestasis, intestinal absorption of vitamin E was compared with that of 25-hydroxyvitamin D in eight infants and young children with prolonged neonatal cholestasis. Oral tolerance tests were performed using 100 IU/kg/dose dl-alpha-tocopherol and 10 micrograms/kg/dose 25-hydroxyvitamin D. Mean vitamin E absorption was only 1.0% to 1.9% of that of control children, whereas 25-hydroxyvitamin D absorption was 22.5% to 25.1% of that of controls. Although intestinal absorption of both vitamins is impaired during cholestasis, the severity of vitamin E malabsorption far exceeds that of 25-hydroxyvitamin D.