Ataxia with vitamin E deficiency associated with deafness

Turk J Pediatr. 2008 Sep-Oct;50(5):471-5.

Abstract

Ataxia with vitamin E deficiency (AVED) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder, usually with a phenotype resembling Friedreich ataxia, caused by selective impairment of gastrointestinal vitamin E absorption. Vitamin E supplementation improves symptoms and prevents disease progress. In North Africa and Southern Europe, AVED is as common as Friedreich ataxia. There are no reported cases from Turkey. We herein report a 16-year-old Turkish girl with AVED, who was found to have total deletion of the TTPA gene as well as sensorineural deafness, and we present her follow-up data after vitamin E therapy.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Ataxia / blood
  • Ataxia / complications*
  • Ataxia / genetics
  • Carrier Proteins / genetics
  • Deafness / blood
  • Deafness / complications*
  • Deafness / genetics
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Phenotype
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • RNA, Messenger / genetics
  • Sequence Deletion
  • Vitamin E / blood
  • Vitamin E Deficiency / blood
  • Vitamin E Deficiency / complications*
  • Vitamin E Deficiency / genetics

Substances

  • Carrier Proteins
  • RNA, Messenger
  • alpha-tocopherol transfer protein
  • Vitamin E