title: Blind loop syndrome, vitamin E malabsorption, and spinocerebellar degeneration.
abstract: A 72-year-old man had severe malabsorption, progressive retinopathy, and spinocerebellar degeneration 32 years after gastric surgery, blind loop formation, and intestinal bacterial overgrowth. Clinical and pathologic features were typical of vitamin E deficiency; vitamin E was nearly undetectable in serum and profoundly low in adipose tissue. Vitamin E blood levels initially improved on treatment with antibiotics; after additional vitamin E supplementation, there was clinical improvement.
mesh_terms: D000042:Absorption; D000368:Aged; D001765:Blind Loop Syndrome / Q000150:complications*; D002526:Cerebellar Diseases / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009132:Muscles / Q000294:innervation / Q000473:pathology; D009410:Nerve Degeneration; D009420:Nervous System / Q000473:pathology; D009431:Neural Conduction; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D013118:Spinal Cord Diseases / Q000150:complications*; D013276:Stomach Ulcer / Q000601:surgery; D014811:Vitamin E Deficiency / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology