Alpha-tocopherol and cardiac toxicity of iron.

At the onset of disturbances of cardiac rhythm after a 7th injection of iron sorbitol to a patient with severe malabsorption syndrome an extremely low level of alpha-tocopherol in serum--0.04 mg per 100 ml serum--was observed. The clinical manifestations are interpreted as a possible consequence of the depletion of the vitamin, a natural scavenger of free radicals. The possible importance of alpha-tocopherol in preventing the toxic effect of iron on the apparently very sensitive myocardium after parenteral iron to patients with severe malabsorption syndrome is discussed.