Vitamin A abuse: development of cirrhosis despite cessation of vitamin A. A six-year clinical and histopathologic follow-up

Liver. 1992 Dec;12(6):381-6. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0676.1992.tb00592.x.

Abstract

We report the case of a 35-year-old man who contracted vitamin A-induced liver cirrhosis. Five years before, he had been investigated for vitamin A-induced non-cirrhotic portal hypertension. In this case, the clinical and histopathologic evolution from non-cirrhotic portal hypertension to cirrhosis was documented. In spite of the cessation of pharmaceutical vitamin A intake, the disease progressed. Therapy with colchicine and phenobarbital apparently did not influence evolution to cirrhosis. This suggests that vitamin A can trigger largely unknown mechanisms of liver fibrosis which seem to be self-perpetuating.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Biopsy
  • Colchicine / therapeutic use
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Humans
  • Hypertension, Portal / chemically induced
  • Hypervitaminosis A / complications*
  • Hypervitaminosis A / drug therapy
  • Hypervitaminosis A / epidemiology
  • Liver / pathology*
  • Liver Cirrhosis / chemically induced*
  • Liver Cirrhosis / epidemiology
  • Liver Cirrhosis / pathology
  • Male
  • Phenobarbital / therapeutic use
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • Colchicine
  • Phenobarbital