Abstract
There is speculation that the antioxidant Vitamin E might be helpful in treating the Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS) by virtue of its ability to inhibit lipid peroxidation and promote PGI2 production. Even though we have previously reported normal vitamin E levels and normal Vitamin E/Total Lipid ratios in 15 children with HUS, we decided to see if the in vitro addition of pharmacologic amounts of vitamin E to HUS sera would stimulate cultured endothelial cells to increase their production of PGI2-PGI2 production was assessed by radioimmunoassay of its stable metabolite, 6-keto PGF1α. The following results (mean±SD) were obtained before and after the addition of either 5mg/dl of Vitamin E (n=8) or the Vitamin E vehicle (alcohol) (n=7) to HUS sera:
Increasing the concentration of Vitamin E in HUS sera to approximately six times normal had no effect on the ability of HUS sera to stimulate cultured endothelial cells to produce PGI2.
While higher doses of Vitamin E might be effective, and while the results of this ex vivo study do not necessarily apply to in vivo situations, these results, plus our earlier finding of normal Vitamin E levels in HUS patients, fail to support a role for Vitamin E in the pathogenesis or treatment of HUS.
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Sieqler, R., Smith, J., Lynch, M. et al. 1636 THE EFFECTS OF VITAMIN E ON THE PRODUCTION OF PROSTACYCLIN IN THE HEMOLYTIC UREMIC SYNDROME. Pediatr Res 19, 383 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198504000-01660
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198504000-01660