Vitamin E status in protein energy malnutrition.

Serum vitamin E and cholesterol concentrations were measured in 50 children with protein energy malnutrition (PEM) and results were compared with a group of 50 normal controls. Mean serum vitamin E concentration as well as vitamin E/cholesterol ratio were found to be reduced in children with PEM while their mean serum cholesterol level was not significantly different from the control group. Data suggest that the reduced levels of serum vitamin E in PEM may be a result of malnutrition per se.