beri beri


ber·i·ber·i

, beri beri (ber'ē-ber'ē), A specific nutritional deficiency syndrome occurring in endemic form in eastern and southern Asia, sporadically in other parts of the world without reference to climate, and sometimes in alcoholic patients, resulting mainly from a dietary deficiency of thiamin; the "dry" form is characterized by a painful polyneuropathy that involves both large and small somatic nerve fibers, as well as autonomic nerve fibers, the initial symptom is burning feet, and later symptoms consist of painful parasthesias in the distal upper limbs as well, weakness and atrophy of the feet and hands, and distal atrophic skin and hair loss; the "wet" form is characterized by edema resulting from a high output form of heart failure, but usually there is evidence of a coexisting polyneuropathy as well.
See also: nutritional polyneuropathy. Synonym(s): endemic neuritis [Singhalese, extreme weakness]

beri beri

A disease caused by deficiency of thiamine (vitamin B1), which affects the heart (cardiac dilatation, fatty degeneration), peripheral nerves (myelinolysis and axonal degeneration), subcutaneous tissues (oedema and vascular congestion) and serosal linings (effusions).
Clinical findings
Fatigue, apathy, irritability, depression, muscular atrophy, paraesthesias, abdominal pain and, if extreme, increased intracranial pressure and coma.
Beri-beri
• Dry beri-beri—Affects central and peripheral nervous systems.
Clinical, children
Plethoric with pallor, hoarseness due to nerve paralysis, apathy, dyspnea, tachycardia, hepatomegaly.
 
• Wet beri-beri—More cardiocentric.
 
Clinical
The afflicted children are malnourished with pallor, oedema, tachycardia, dyspnea, renal failure, right-sided cardiac failure.
 
Treatment
Thiamin-rich foods—e.g., milk, vegetables, cereals, fruits.