The relationship between iron- and vitamin E deficiencies in the idiopathic hypochromic anemia was studied and the following results were obitained:
1. Seventy-eight cases with idiopathic hypochromic anemia showed lower level of serum vitamin E, 0.88±0.16 mg/dl, determined by Rindi method, than that of 100 cases of normal adults, 1.25±0.12 mg/dl. Some cases with this anemia showed increase of the blood TBA (Thiobarbituric acid reaction) value and positive reaction of the dialuric acid hemolysis test.
2. In those cases who showed good response to the treatment with iron preparation, apparent increase of serum vitamin E was observed, and in the relapsing cases the serum vitamin E level was depressed again at the recurrence. The cases with delayed response to this treatment, were proved to have transitory and labile increase of the serum vitamin E.
3. The depression of serum vitamin E level in idiopathic hypochromic anemia appeared to have some causal relationship with iron-deficiency and endocrinological disturbance.
