Beriberi

Alternate Name:

Test:

S. & U.thiamine (L), S.pyruvic acid (H after exer-cise glucose stress)

Sign:

Pitting oedema, knee jerk, ankle jerk

Dd:

Wemicke's syn., CCF, deep vein thrombosis of calf, diabetic polyneuropathy

Phys:

A deficiency in thiamine and consequently of coenzyme cocarboxylase results in degeneration of the medullary sheath around distal nerves. Other lesions may appear in the brain and heart