Clinical Relevance of Thiamine Status amongst Hospitalized Elderly Patients

Abstract

Severe thiamine deficiency remained quite low among the hospitalized elderly. The prevalence of moderate thiamine deficiency approached 40%. Institutionalized subjects were at particular risk of developing thiamine deficiency. Its clinical relevance on functional status and on cognitive function remained not significant. By contrast, a high proportion of falls, Alzheimer's disease, depression, cardiac failure and furosemide use could have been related to thiamine deficiency.