The nutritional status of patients with an alcohol problem.
73 patients with an alcohol problem seen in a hospital medical unit over a two year period were examined specifically for signs suggestive of nutritional deficiency and of organ or system damage due to alcohol. A seven day dietary recall was carried out on most of them. Clinical signs of nutritional deficiency were relatively uncommon but nine patients had Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome and ten had peripheral neuropathy. Thiamine was present in less than recommended amounts in 81.5% of the diets. Vitamin D and vitamin C were the next most common dietary deficiencies. 66.1% were deficient in energy intake and about a third of patients derived more than 40% of their energy from alcohol.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000150:complications*; D001206:Ascorbic Acid Deficiency / Q000209:etiology; D003677:Deficiency Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D002149:Energy Intake; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009751:Nutritional Requirements; D013832:Thiamine Deficiency / Q000209:etiology; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000209:etiology