[Vitamin E deficiency in cystic fibrosis].

Plasma vitamin E levels were measured by high performance liquid chromatography in 42 children with cystic fibrosis and were correlated with the following parameters: sex, age, time of follow-up, clinical evolution (Schwachman score), vitamin E/cholesterol and faecal fat excretion. All children in this study received oral alfa-tocoferol (50-100 mg daily) from the diagnosis. According to the vitamin E level patients were distributed in two groups. Group I: 27 patients (64.3%) with normal concentrations. Group II: 15 patients (35.7%) with decreases plasma levels but without clinical manifestations. Steatorrhea was present in all children except 4 patients from group I and one patient from group II. On the other hand, vitamin E/cholesterol was normal in 80% of patients with vitamin E deficiency (group II). We did not find any correlation between plasma vitamin E levels and the different clinical and biological parameters studied. Further studies should be carried out to throw more light on the mechanism underlying the pathogenesis of vitamin E deficiency in patients with cystic fibrosis.