Re: Elevated liver enzymes

Posted By HFHSM.D.-rf on June 07, 1998 at 10:48:45:

In Reply to: Elevated liver enzymes posted by Pam B. on June 03, 1998 at 21:46:32:






: I am a 45 year old woman with Retinitis Pigmentosa.  I take 15,000 units of vitimin A from palmatate daily, as recommended by the RP Foundation.  I have been doing this for about 4 years now.  Recently I have been breaking out in rashes that itch for a few minutes and then dissapear, this has been getting worse for the past 3 months.  I had my liver enzymes checked and they are elevated to the levels of 172-GPT and 131-GT.  The doctor said that if they do not go down within 3 months (my next screening), I should have a hepititis (hepatitis) profile done.  Are these levels high enough to worry about now or should I wait?  Do high doses of vitimin A cause this reaction?  I do not take any prescription drugs and I do not drink alcohol.
Thank you in advance for you help.



  

Dear Pam B:
I enjoyed your question about whether vitamin A can cause elevated liver enzymes.  Certainly, it is an unusual question and I spent some time researching it.  Vitamin A can, in fact, cause liver damage and in some cases severe liver damage.  However, this damage typically occurs with daily doses of at least 25,000 units a day and usually higher.    
I think, vitamin A is something worth keeping in mind, however.  This is especially true, if your enzymes remain elevated and if your evaluation for other causes of elevated liver enzymes is negative.  At the very least, you may want to make sure that your dose of vitamin A is, in fact, 15,000 units a day and not higher.  
I hope this information is helpful to you.  If you have additional questions or more information, feel free to post the material back to MEDHELP or you are always welcome to contact us directly at Henry Ford at [phone].  If you are in the Detroit area, you are always welcome to come see us.  We have an active group of liver specialists (hepatologists).
This response is being provided for general informational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice or consultation.  Always check with your personal physician when you have a question pertaining to your health.  
I hope this information is helpful to you.
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Dear Med Help,
One more question.  I have been off all vitamins for two weeks now and I am still itching like mad!  If this is a reaction to the vitamin A, how long can I expect this to last?
Thanks again.
_______
Dear Pam B,
The cessation of vitamin A use does not result in immediate improvement of your symptoms.  I would suggest that you have additional studies done to exclude other cuases of your itching. 1) would see a dermatologist 2) would have an ultrasound of the liver and bile ducts to exclude obstruction as the cause of symptoms 3) blood test for antimitochondrial antibody to exclude early primary biliary cirrhosis as cause for elevated liver tests and itching.
This information is provided for educational purposes only.  Always consult your personalphysician for specific medical issues.
HFHSM.D.-rf
*keywords: itching, vitamin A
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