title: Vitamin A toxicity in a physical culturist patient: a case report and review of the literature.
abstract: Excessive intake of vitamin A may produce acute or chronic toxicity. Vitamin A can be consumed in foods, fortified products and supplements. We present a case of a young physical culturist man who was referred to our Unit because of chronic liver disease of unknown origin. The patient had a history of increased vitamin A intake from natural source with the addition of high dose of vitamin A supplements with the purpose of improving his muscular development. Our patient showed chronic liver disease with severe fibrosis, signs of portal hypertension and marked hyperplasia of Ito cells. In conclusion, chronic vitamin A toxicity may produce severe liver damage and should be recognized in the differential diagnosis of chronic liver diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Hospital J.M. Penna, Buenos Aires, Argentina. castano@intramed.net
authors.forename: Gustavo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Castaño
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Etchart
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sookoian
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D019587:Dietary Supplements / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D006965:Hyperplasia; D006975:Hypertension, Portal / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000473:pathology; D006986:Hypervitaminosis A / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000009:adverse effects
chemical_list: D014801:Vitamin A