Beriberi

Definition

Definition of Beriberi
Beriberi is a nervous system disease, which is caused by a deficiency of thiamine (vitamin B1) in the diet. It is the lack B1 may cause:

1. Awakening at night short of breath
2. Increased heart rate
3. Shortness of breath with activity
4. Swelling of the lower legs

There are forms of beriberi:

1. Wet beriberi affects the cardiovascular system.
2. Dry beriberi and Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome affect the nervous system.

Symptoms

Symptoms of Beriberi
There are various kind of Beriberi symptoms:

1. Severe Lethargy
2. Fatigue, together with complications affecting the cardiovascular, nervous, muscular, and gastrointestinal systems
3. Weight Loss
4. Emotional Disturbances
5. Impaired Sensory Perception
6. Weakness and Pain in the Limbs
7. Periods of Irregular Heart Rate

Causes

Causes of Beriberi
Beriberi is caused by a lack of thiamine (vitamin B1). Thiamine occurs naturally in unrefined cereals and fresh foods, particularly whole grain bread, fresh meat, legumes, green vegetables, fruit, milk, etc. Beriberi is therefore common in people whose diet excludes these particular types of nutrition e.g. as a result of famine.

Beriberi may be found in people whose diet consists mainly of polished white rice, which is very low in thiamine because the thiamin-bearing husk has been removed. It can also be seen in chronic alcoholics (Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome), Arsenic poisoning causes alterations in cellular metabolism resulting in blockage of thiamine use which results in thiamine deficiency without any dietary shortfall. The mechanism of arsenic neuropathy may be similar to the neuropathy of thiamine deficiency [Sexton and Gowdy 1963], whereby arsenic inhibits the conversion of pyruvate to acetyl coenzyme A and thus blocks the Krebs cycle.

Test

Test of Beriberi
A physical examination may show signs of congestive heart failure, including:

1. Difficulty breathing with neck veins that stick out
2. Enlarged heart
3. Fluid in the lungs
4. Rapid heartbeat
5. Swelling in both lower legs

Prognosis

Prognosis of Beriberi
Untreated, beriberi is often deadly. With treatment, symptoms usually improve quickly. Heart damage is usually reversible, and a full recovery is expected. However, if acute heart failure has already occurred, the outlook is poor. Nervous system damage is also reversible, if caught early. If it is not caught early, some symptoms (such as memory loss) may remain even with treatment.

If a patient with Wernicke's encephalopathy receives thiamine replacement, language problems, unusual eye movements, and walking difficulties may go away. However, Korsakoff syndrome (or Korsakoff psychosis) tends to develop as Wernicke's symptoms go away.

Treatment

Treatment of Beriberi
Treatment for beriberi should be supervised by a health care professional. The basic treatment for beriberi is to bring thiamine levels in the body back to within normal range. This is accomplished through the administration of oral or injectable thiamine supplements. Additional vitamin supplements may also be recommended. If beriberi is treated promptly, most symptoms of the disease will be reversed.

Prevention

Prevention of Beriberi
Eating a proper diet that is rich in thiamine and other vitamins will prevent beriberi. Nursing mothers should make sure that their diet contains all vitamins and be sure that infant formulas contain thiamine.

People who drink heavily should try to cut down or quit, and take B vitamins to make sure their body is properly absorbing and storing thiamine.