Vitamin E deficiency in phrynoderma cases from Sri Lanka

Abstract

Phrynoderma cases were identified in a village close to Colombo in Sri Lanka. The α-tocopherol level in plasma was 3.3 ± 0.6 μmol/L among the phrynoderma patients (n = 11) and 13.0 ± 2.3 μmol/L among the control subjects (p<0.002). A test on glutathione reductase activity in erythrocytes revealed a stronger riboflavin deficiency among patients than among control subjects (p<0.005). No significant differences were found between the groups with regard to plasma levels of retinol, retinol-binding protein, vitamin B-12, folic acid, thiamin, selenium, zinc, or essential fatty acid pattern. Primary malnutrition may partly explain the deficiency of α-tocopherol and riboflavin observed in phrynoderma cases.