beriberi

Introduction

Nutritional disorder resulting from thiamine deficiency.

Etiology

• poor diet (polished rice is classic example)
• alcoholism

Clinical manifestations

• weakness
• irritability
• burning feet
• pruritus
• nausea/vomiting
• tremor
• diminished deep tendon reflexes (DTR) in lower extremities
• muscle atrophy
• tachycardia
• edema
• serous effusions

Laboratory

• anemia
• diminished serum thiamine
• diminished erythrocyte transketolase
• increased blood pyruvic acid
• no urinary excretion of thiamine after a test dose

Radiology

enlarged heart

More general terms

• thiamine (vitamin B1) deficiency

Additional terms

• thiamine (vitamin B1, Betalin)