Vitamins: vitamin E deficiency: practice question

A Biochemistry question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Biochemistry · Vitamins: vitamin E deficiency

Sample item

A 6-year-old with chronic fat malabsorption, very low LDL and chylomicrons and acanthocytes on the blood film develops progressive ataxia and loss of deep tendon reflexes with mild haemolysis. Deficiency of which fat-soluble vitamin explains the ataxia and haemolysis?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

D. Vitamin E

This is abetalipoproteinaemia, in which failure of chylomicron and VLDL assembly impairs absorption and transport of fat-soluble vitamins. Vitamin E is the chain-breaking antioxidant protecting membranes of neurons and red cells, so deficiency causes spinocerebellar ataxia, areflexia and haemolysis. High-dose vitamin E supplementation is part of treatment.

Option by option

  • A. Vitamin K

    Vitamin K deficiency causes a bleeding tendency from impaired clotting factors.

  • B. Vitamin A

    Vitamin A deficiency causes night blindness and xerophthalmia rather than ataxia.

  • C. Vitamin D

    Vitamin D deficiency causes rickets and osteomalacia.

  • D. Vitamin E (correct)

    Loss of vitamin E antioxidant protection injures axons and red cell membranes.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

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Questions about this Biochemistry question

What is the answer to this Biochemistry question?

The best answer is D, Vitamin E. This is abetalipoproteinaemia, in which failure of chylomicron and VLDL assembly impairs absorption and transport of fat-soluble vitamins.

Why is "Vitamin K" not the answer?

Vitamin K deficiency causes a bleeding tendency from impaired clotting factors.

Why is "Vitamin A" not the answer?

Vitamin A deficiency causes night blindness and xerophthalmia rather than ataxia.

Why is "Vitamin D" not the answer?

Vitamin D deficiency causes rickets and osteomalacia.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Vitamins: vitamin E deficiency in Biochemistry. Vitamin E is the chain-breaking antioxidant protecting membranes of neurons and red cells, so deficiency causes spinocerebellar ataxia, areflexia and haemolysis. High-dose vitamin E supplementation is part of treatment.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Vitamins: vitamin E deficiency?

Build one table of enzyme deficiency, disease, inheritance and key finding, then revise it by spaced recall. Then use the flashcards and the other Biochemistry questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.