Vitamin E (VE) is a lipid-soluble, chain-breaking antioxidant agent that ameliorates a variety of diseases mediated by excessive production of oxygen free radicals. There is evidence that VE has a beneficial effect on progressive renal injury in experimental animals. Therefore, we studied the effect of VE supplementation to children with renal disease and persistent proteinuria.
In a prospective,open-label trial, we administered VE, 200 IU twice a day by mouth, to 17 patients, age 7-24 yr. The children were divided into two groups: Group A, steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome (SRNS) and Group B, miscellaneous renal diseases. Group A comprised 10 patients (7M, 3F), mean age 12.5±1.2 yr, while Group B contained 7 children (5M, 2F), mean age 15±2 yr. Among the patients in Group B, 3 had HSP nephritis, 2 urinary tract anomalies, 1 IgA nephropathy,and 1 reflux nephropathy. Proteinuria was determined by measuring the protein:creatinine ratio (mg/mg) in an early morning specimen of urine, prior to and after VE treatment. Serum creatinine was also measured before and after administration of VE. The duration of VE treatment was defined as the period during which no other therapy was introduced and the estimated GFR did not change more than 20% from baseline.
