Revival of Beriberi and Today's Food Life

SHIMAO Mitsuko, TAKAHASHI Kazuro

doi:10.4327/jsnfs1949.30.411

As people's food life has generally become rich, beriberi is today regarded as past desease with rare incidence in Japan. Recently, however, acute polyneuritis associated with edema in the lower extremity outbroke in many places of the western part of Japan including Sanin district where we had 103 patients.<BR>The food uptake survey in 58 out of 103 cases revealed that all patients had taken polished rice, with less uptake of vegitable, fruit, meat, milk and the processed products. Many of them had skipped breakfast. They had often taken instant foods, sugar-containing soft drinks or ice cream, which resulted in high sugar and low vitamins, especially B₁ (0.18-0.28mg/1, 000 calories). It was also noted that many of the patients were adolescents who had taken hard exercise or labor. Decrease in vitamin B₁ blood level and elevation of pyruvic acid and lactic acid were seen in some patients. Especially the urinary vitamin B₁ exceretion both following and not following the vitamin B₁ load test was apparently low. As clinical findings, edema, apical systolic murmur and polyneuritis were presented in all cases. Cardiac enlargement was observed in some cases. Administration of vitamin B₁ was remarkably effective. Histological observation of the peripheral nerve revealed axonal degenerations. Based on all the data obtained from the aforementioned clinical findings, results of laboratory tests, therapeutic effect and patients' food life, the disease was diagnosed as beriberi neuropathy.<BR>We warned that today's way of food uptake should be reviewed from a variety of angles.

Revival of Beriberi and Today's Food Life

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