Serum Vitamin E Levels with Beta‐Thalassaemia Major: Preliminary Report

Abstract

S ummary . Serum vitamin E levels were found to be below normal (<0.5 mg/100 ml) in 46% of 56 children with β‐thalassaemia major receiving inadequate treatment with blood transfusions. The difference between the mean vitamin E levels in the children with β‐thalassaemia as compared to that of normal children was highly significant ( P <0.001). The hydrogen peroxide lysis test was highly abnormal in all 21 children with β‐thalassaemia major in whom it was carried out; only 11 of them had vitamin E serum levels below normal (<0.5 mg/100 ml). Parenteral administration of 200 mg α‐tocopherol in six of the 21 children resulted in a normal hydrogen peroxide lysis test. It is noteworthy that two of the six children had normal vitamin E levels.