Osteomalacia after prolonged glutethimide administration.

Vitamin D deficiency is a previously unreported complication of therapy with hypnotics, and we here report a case of osteomalacia associated with long-term glutethimide administration. There was evidence of pronounced hepatic enzyme induction, and the plasma half-time of (3)H vitamin D(3) was decreased by this drug. In addition, raised levels of serum gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase, 5-nucleotidase, and leucine aminopeptidase were observed and the patient excreted large amounts of xylulose. These changes were reversed by stopping the glutethimide.