Use of Tocofersolan (Vedrop®) to Prevent or Treat Refractive Vitamin E Deficiency in Infants and Children

Use of Tocofersolan (Vedrop®) to Prevent or Treat Refractive Vitamin E Deficiency in Infants and Children

Patients with short bowel syndrome or other forms of intestinal failure/fat malabsorption are unable to tolerate adequate oral or enteral feedings. They require that nutrition be given as enteral nutrition that is delivered by feeding tube. Often these children take supplements such as vitamins to help improve their nutritional status but, due to their condition, they have difficulty absorbing the supplement sufficiently and most of it is lost in the stool. The drug that will be studied, Tocofersolan (Vedrop®) is a form of vitamin E, a type of the fat soluble vitamin needed in the human diet. It has been formulated in such a way that it may be more easily absorbed by patients with this condition. The main purpose of the study is to learn about the safety and tolerability of this form of vitamin E. Before receiving the study drug, the severity of the child's vitamin E deficiency will be determined by a blood sample, followed by giving them a daily dose of tocofersolan (Vedrop®) either orally or through their feeding tube. After a 4 weeks of therapy, a second blood sample will be checked and the child will continue either same dose of tocoferssolan or it will be adjusted in response to the blood levels. If the study drug works as it is designed to do, there should be an increase in the concentration of the vitamin E in the child's blood, suggesting that the drug was absorbed. At each visit, a sample of blood will be obtained to assess the child's vitamin E status and general health.

Patients will remain on tocofersolan for approximately one year or as long as the study remains open. Based on the European pediatric experience, patients should be expected be on tocofersolan a minimum of 3 months, ideally 6 months to see optimal clinical response.

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Patients with intestinal failure or fat malabsorption who have refractory vitamin E deficiency (defined as vitamin E level < 5 mg/L) despite receiving vitamin E supplementation with currently available enteral vitamin E products for at least 6 months or requiring the provision of vitamin parenterally as part of a multivitamin infusion.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Pregnancy
2. Use of warfarin or any related vitamin K antagonist.
3. Enrollment in any other clinical trial involving an investigational agent (unless approved by the principal investigators of the other trial)
4. The parent or guardian or child unwilling to provide consent or assent