Thiamin deficiency and its three clinical forms
What it found
Thiamin deficiency is under-diagnosed, especially in high income countries, even though risk factors like alcohol and malnutrition are common.
It can lead to three serious conditions with high death rates and long-term effects.
What they found
Studies in people
Under-diagnosed deficiency
Thiamin deficiency is an under-diagnosed disease because it is less frequently suspected in high income countries.
Common risk factors
Risk factors like alcohol and malnutrition are common in the general population.
Three clinical forms
Thiamin deficiency can lead to three clinical entities: Gayet-Wernicke encephalopathy, which can progress to Korsakoff encephalopathy, and wet Beriberi and its dry form.
High mortality and sequelae
These diseases are associated with high mortality and heavy long-term sequelae.
Other findings
Source of thiamin
Thiamin, also called vitamin B1, is an essential vitamin that comes exclusively from food.
Rapid diagnosis and treatment
Rapid diagnosis enables timely treatment.
What the authors conclude
- They state that rapid diagnosis enables timely treatment.
- They note that thiamin deficiency is under-diagnosed because it is less frequently suspected in high income countries.
How it was done
Thiamin deficiency is less frequently suspected in high income countries, yet its risk factors are common in the general population.
What it can’t tell you
- We summarised it from the abstract only.
- This paper does not report a study in people, animals or cells, so it cannot show how common thiamin deficiency is or who will develop it.
- It does not provide numbers on how many people are affected or how well treatment works.
Who paid
- Conflicts
- Les auteurs n’ont déclaré aucun conflit d’intérêts en relation avec cet article.
- Authors work at
- Hôpitaux universitaires de Genève, Genève
The paper
- Title
- [Thiamin: Simply a vitamin?]
- Type
- Study
- Evidence
- Studies in people
- Summarised from
- Abstract only
- Cite
- Silhadi S, Pinaud SÉ, Nendaz M, Stirnemann J (2022). [Thiamin: Simply a vitamin?]. Revue medicale suisse. doi:10.53738/REVMED.2022.18.801.2020PubMed 36314092DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error