CASE REPORT article
Front. Pediatr.
Sec. Pediatric Critical Care
Volume 13 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fped.2025.1576805
This article is part of the Research TopicPost-Operative Neuropsychiatric Disorders, volume IIView all 4 articles
Thiamine Deficiency Secondary to Intestinal Surgery Leading to Shoshin Beriberi and Wernicke Encephalopathy: A Case Report
Provisionally accepted
- 1Shenzhen Children's Hospital, Shenzhen, China
- 2Institute of Cell Biology, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, China
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Purpose: Thiamine is an essential micronutrient, and its deficiency, also known as beriberi, can have significant clinical implications. Thiamine deficiency impairs oxidative metabolic pathways, leading to reduced adenosine triphosphate (ATP) synthesis and energy production. This deficiency primarily affects energy-demanding organs, such as the brain and heart, resulting in central and peripheral neuropathies, severe metabolic acidosis, or even circulatory failure.Due to its nonspecific clinical presentation, thiamine deficiency is often misdiagnosed or overlooked, making early recognition and intervention critical for improving outcomes.Case Report: This report describes a case of shoshin beriberi with concurrent neurological involvement caused by thiamine deficiency following intestinal surgery. Remarkably, the patient's condition improved significantly with timely thiamine supplementation.In individuals at high risk of thiamine deficiency, such as those with prolonged fasting, gastrointestinal disorders, or chronic malnutrition, early identification and timely intervention are crucial for improving prognosis and reducing mortality.Early recognition and treatment are critical to reducing mortality associated with this condition.
Keywords: Thiamine Deficiency, Shoshin beriberi, Wernicke Encephalopathy, Postoperative Complications, Neurological and Cardiovascular Involvement
Received: 14 Feb 2025; Accepted: 30 Apr 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Huang, Junyu, Zhixuan and Weiguo. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Yang Weiguo, Shenzhen Children's Hospital, Shenzhen, China
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