Benign intracranial hypertension due to A-hypervitaminosis in adults and adolescents.

Three new cases of chronic vitamin A intoxication are reported and a review of the literature with special reference to chronic intoxication in adolescents and adults is presented. The most prominent features are intracranial hypertension, skin and hair deviations, pain in the musculoskeletal system, and fatigue. Intracranial hypertension occurs in 50% of chronic intoxications, but is not invariably linked with the other symptoms. Young women are the major age group represented. There seems to be no relation between the severity of the clinical picture and the vitamin A serum level. Discontinuance of vitamin A intake is sufficient for cure.