Hi Ceridwen,
If the patient is an alcoholic and was admitted with AKA and/or signs of Wernick's and has responded to thaimine therapy, then they were definitely deficienent without the need to measure their blood thiamine level. If they want to do it for academic reason and you have a pre-treatment blood sample stored somewhere, then you could send it for thiamine measurement.
BW
Mohammad
Dear All,
Have a persistent request for trying to confirm a diagnosis of thiamine deficiency on a patient who has been in our ITU, now with Neurology. She has been on vitamin supplementation for 2 weeks, and is improving. Being pressed to see if any way of now confirming a diagnosis, either with a current test, or on any retrospective samples that might be around our assorted labs in North Bristol. I've tried to damp down their hopes, but just said I'd ask our expert mailbase!
Blood or urine or any other body fluid? Thiamine itself or red cell transketolase?
Would welcome any ideas, or reinforcement that too late now to confirm with a biochemical test.
many thanks,
CeridwenNorth Bristol NHS Trust - www.nbt.nhs.uk
Dr. M A Al-Jubouri, MB ChB, MSc, FRCP Edin, FRCPath
Consultant Chemical Pathologist
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