Role of Thiamin in Health and Disease.
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Narrative review summarizing clinical literature and expert practice without systematic search methods or primary empirical data.
PubMed 30644592 · doi:10.1002/ncp.10234
What was done
This narrative review summarizes the biological roles of thiamin (primarily in glucose metabolism), clinical risk factors for deficiency, its prevalence among critically ill patients, its clinical presentations (encephalopathy, dry beriberi, and wet beriberi), and strategies for diagnosis and supplementation based on existing literature.
What was found
The abstract provides no quantitative data or specific numerical results. It qualitatively describes risk factors for thiamin deficiency (malnutrition, refeeding syndrome, gastrointestinal surgery, alcoholism) and notes increased prevalence in critical illnesses such as severe burns, major surgery, septic shock, end-stage renal disease, and heart failure. It states that diagnosis is primarily clinical, supported by clinical response to therapy, and that early supplementation is safe, low-cost, and potentially life-saving.
Why it matters
It highlights thiamin deficiency as an underrecognized but treatable condition across diverse clinical and intensive care settings, advocating for proactive empirical treatment in patients at risk.
Limits
The abstract describes a non-systematic narrative review providing no quantitative synthesis, sample sizes, search methodology, or primary trial outcomes. Recommendations rely on clinical consensus and observational associations rather than pooled randomized trial data.
Cited by
- supports Beriberi is a disease associated with a pure carbohydrate/polished rice diet that presents with heart failure, non-healing leg ulcers, bright shiny red skin, and burning in the feet.