American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol 63, 717-721, Copyright © 1996 by The American Society for Clinical Nutrition, Inc

ORIGINAL RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS

Response to a single oral dose of all-rac-alpha-tocopheryl acetate in patients with cystic fibrosis and in healthy individuals

BM Winklhofer-Roob, PE Tuchschmid, L Molinari and DH Shmerling
Division of Gastroenterology and Nutrition, Department of Pediatrics, University of Zurich, Switzerland.

Biochemical vitamin E deficiency and low plasma lipids are frequent findings in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). The response to a single oral dose of all-rac-alpha-tocopheryl acetate [100 IU (100 mg)/kg body wt] was studied over 24 h in 25 CF patients with exocrine pancreatic insufficiency and in 23 healthy individuals. Patients received pancreatic enzymes together with the vitamin E test dose. At baseline, plasma alpha-tocopherol concentrations correlated with cholesterol concentrations; both were lower in patients than in control subjects, as were erythrocyte alpha-tocopherol concentrations (all P < 0.0001). Plasma and erythrocyte alpha-tocopherol concentrations were significantly higher than baseline concentrations from 3 and 6 h onward, respectively, and peaked most frequently at 6 and 12 h, respectively, in both patients and control subjects. Maximum increases and areas under the concentration time curves for plasma alpha- tocopherol concentrations were smaller in patients than in control subjects (P < 0.0001). When ratios of plasma alpha-tocopherol to cholesterol (to correct for differences in cholesterol concentrations) or erythrocyte alpha-tocopherol concentrations were applied, patients were shown to respond as efficiently as control subjects. On the basis of these results, we recommend vitamin E supplements in doses high enough to achieve vitamin E status in CF patients well within the range of healthy individuals; these supplements should be given with appropriate amounts of pancreatic enzymes. However, for long-term supplementation much lower doses than those used in this test situation may be sufficient.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				R. Brigelius-Flohe, F. J Kelly, J. T Salonen, J. Neuzil, J.-M. Zingg, and A. Azzi The European perspective on vitamin E: current knowledge and future research Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, October 1, 2002; 76(4): 703 - 716. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. K Lark, G. E Lester, D. A Ontjes, A. D Blackwood, B. W Hollis, M. M Hensler, and R. M Aris Diminished and erratic absorption of ergocalciferol in adult cystic fibrosis patients Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, March 1, 2001; 73(3): 602 - 606. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]