Vitamin A abuse: development of cirrhosis despite cessation of vitamin A. A six-year clinical and histopathologic follow-up.
We report the case of a 35-year-old man who contracted vitamin A-induced liver cirrhosis. Five years before, he had been investigated for vitamin A-induced non-cirrhotic portal hypertension. In this case, the clinical and histopathologic evolution from non-cirrhotic portal hypertension to cirrhosis was documented. In spite of the cessation of pharmaceutical vitamin A intake, the disease progressed. Therapy with colchicine and phenobarbital apparently did not influence evolution to cirrhosis. This suggests that vitamin A can trigger largely unknown mechanisms of liver fibrosis which seem to be self-perpetuating.
Jorens
P G
PG
Department of Gastroenterology, University Hospital of Antwerp (UIA), Belgium.
Michielsen
P P
PP
Pelckmans
P A
PA
Fevery
J
J
Desmet
V J
VJ
Geubel
A P
AP
Rahier
J
J
Van Maercke
Y M
YM
D000328:Adult; D001706:Biopsy; D003078:Colchicine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006975:Hypertension, Portal / Q000139:chemically induced; D006986:Hypervitaminosis A / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology*; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D010634:Phenobarbital / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013997:Time Factors
D003078:Colchicine; D010634:Phenobarbital