ON THE VARIATIONS OF THE PLASMA VITAMIN A LEVEL AFTER THE ADMINISTRATION OF LARGE DOSES OF VITAMIN A IN LIVER DISEASE 1

Open Access
Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
The rise of the plasma vit. A level following the ingestion of 75,000 I.U. vit. A (tolerance curve) was investigated in normal subjects and in patients with liver or other abdominal disease. In liver diseases the tolerance curve is much flatter than in normals. The flattening parallels the degree of liver damage. It is less flattened in arrested cirrhosis without jaundice and in obstructive jaundice without hepatitis, than in toxic hepatitis or cirrhosis with jaundice or in obstructive jaundice with secondary hepatitis. With clinical improvement the tolerance curve and the low fasting plasma vit. A level return toward normal. Comparisons (1) of the tolerance curves with the vit. A content of liver biopsy specimens, and (2) of the tolerance curves before and after saturating the liver with large amts. of vit. A and a study of the tolerance curves in conditions known to be associated with disturbed intestinal absorption, showed that the tolerance curves are not related to the liver saturation of vit. A but rather to the efficiency of vit. A absorption from the intestine. The disturbed intestinal absorption of vit. A in liver disease was not primarily related to the degree or type of jaundice, but rather to the degree of liver damage and could not be corrected by adm. of bile acid prep.