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Plasma vitamin E levels in children with cholestasis
Insights
Vitamin E deficiency is common in infants and children with chronic cholestasis. Levels drop significantly after four months in infants and correlate with cholestasis severity in older children.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Gastroenterology
- Nutritional Science
Background:
- Chronic cholestasis in infants and children can lead to various complications.
- Nutritional deficiencies, particularly fat-soluble vitamins, are a concern in cholestatic liver disease.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate plasma vitamin E levels in children with chronic cholestasis.
- To determine the relationship between vitamin E status and the characteristics of cholestasis.
Main Methods:
- Assayed plasma vitamin E levels in 58 children with chronic cholestasis.
- Correlated vitamin E levels with clinical parameters like age of onset, serum bilirubin, bile acids, and fat absorption.
Main Results:
- Infants developing cholestasis early showed vitamin E levels below normal after 4 months.
- In older children, vitamin E levels correlated with cholestasis severity (bilirubin, bile acids, fat absorption), not etiology.
- No correlation was found between vitamin E and alkaline phosphatases, triglycerides, phospholipids, or cholesterol.
Conclusions:
- Vitamin E deficiency is a significant issue in pediatric chronic cholestasis.
- Monitoring and addressing vitamin E status is crucial for managing these patients.
Abstract:
Plasma vitamin levels were assayed in 58 children presenting with chronic cholestasis. In the infants who developed cholestasis during the first weeks of life, vitamin E levels dropped below normal values after the age of 4 months. In the older children, vitamin E levels were not correlated with the etiology of cholestasis but with the degree of cholestasis, as expressed by serum bilirubin, serum bile acids, and fat absorption coefficient. We did not find any relationship between vitamin E levels and other biological parameters such as alkaline phosphatases, triglycerides, phospholipids, and cholesterol. These results further support the importance of vitamin E deficiency in chronic cholestasis of infants and children.