Renal tubular failure after treatment with high dose of vitamin A (author's transl)

Abstract

A 22-year-old man was given 70-75 million I.U. vitamin A by mouth for 38 days as a treatment for psoriasis. But it had to be stopped because of the appearance of typical signs of vitamin A poisoning. Acute renal failure set in nine days later, after hospital admission for cerebral signs. In addition to conventional conservative treatment, seven haemodialyses were undertaken, with complete restitution to normal within 12 days. The skin disease and the cerebral signs predominated, in addition to later anaemia, hypercalcaemia, bone pain, and acute renal failure, the latter confirmed by renal biopsy. There were no histological changes in the liver.