Vitamin E administration and reversal of neurological deficits in protein-energy malnutrition.
Neurological signs including posterior column, spinocerebellar, retinal, and peripheral nerve deficits are being increasingly recognized in vitamin E deficiency states. Children suffering from protein-energy malnutrition (PEM) revealed significantly reduced serum alpha-tocopherol levels compared to age-matched normal children, the deficient subjects also exhibited the widely recognized signs of tocopherol deficiency. In this prospective therapeutic intervention study moderate PEM subjects were administered aqueous oral vitamin E supplementation for 6 weeks and compared with control PEM subjects. The parameters studied included pre- and post-therapy serum alpha-tocopherol levels, alpha-tocopherol lipid ratio, lipid profile, creatine phosphokinase levels, and electroneurophysiological studies. Vitamin E supplementation normalized serum alpha-tocopherol levels (p < 0.001), alpha-tocopherol lipid ratio (p < 0.001), reduced creatine phosphokinase levels (p < 0.01), and reduced neurological signs in PEM subjects (p < 0.001). The observed improvement in neurological dysfunction among PEM subjects is of great interest, especially in developing countries. While larger studies are recommended, the importance of vitamin E administration in PEM is being reported.
Department of Pediatrics, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India. vkalra@medinst.ernet.in
V
V
Kalra
J K
JK
Grover
G K
GK
Ahuja
S
S
Rathi
S
S
Gulati
N
N
Kalra
D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011502:Protein-Energy Malnutrition / Q000150:complications*; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014811:Vitamin E Deficiency / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology
D014810:Vitamin E