Neurologic complications of vitamin E deficiency: case report and review of the literature.

Abstract

A well-defined degenerative neurological condition has been associated with cholestatic liver disease in children. This syndrome, heralded by gait and limb ataxia, areflexia, and proprioceptive and vibratory sensory loss, has also been observed in abetalipoproteinemia (Bassen-Kornzweig syndrome), cystic fibrosis, and intestinal malabsorption states. A significant body of evidence suggests that vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) deficiency is in large part responsible for this condition. In this article, a patient manifesting this syndrome is reported, and the current status of the vitamin E deficiency state is reviewed.