title: Occidental beriberi and sudden death.
abstract: Beriberi, thiamine deficiency, is classified as "dry" (neurologic) or "wet" (cardiovascular) and may be mixed. Deficiency of this vitamin may be nutritional or secondary to alcohol intoxication. In Western societies (occidental beriberi), the disorder is more commonly observed in long-term alcohol abusers. However, it may go undiagnosed because it is relatively uncommon. In some cases (acute cardiovascular beriberi), early treatment with parenteral vitamin B1 is required to prevent the development of low-output state and sudden death. We report a case of occidental beriberi with fatal outcome despite therapy.
authors.affiliation: Intensive Care Unit, Hippokration General Hospital, Athens University, Athens, Greece. abetrosian@netscape.net
authors.forename: Alex P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Betrosian
authors.forename: Eleftherios
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Thireos
authors.forename: Kostas
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Toutouzas
authors.forename: Panagiotis
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zabaras
authors.forename: Kostantina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Papadimitriou
authors.forename: Nikolaos
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sevastos
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000150:complications; D001602:Beriberi / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology; D003645:Death, Sudden; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology; D013831:Thiamine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013832:Thiamine Deficiency / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D013831:Thiamine