Gerontology
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Necropsy studies suggest that thiamine deficiency is underdiagnosed in life, in part because the classical clinical presentations are uncommon. Anecdotal reports suggest that thiamine deficiency may contribute to the development of delirium, heart failure and peripheral neuropathy in elderly patients, but little systematic research has been reported. We examined thiamine levels in 36 consecutive non-demented, community-dwelling patients admitted to an acute geriatric unit. ⋯ Absent ankle jerks were noted in 2/19 (10%) patients with normal thiamine status and 7/17 (41%) patients with thiamine deficiency (p = 0.06). There was no difference in anthropometric indices or in the prevalence of other nutrient deficiencies between the two groups. Thiamine deficiency is common in elderly patients admitted to hospital and may contribute to the development of delirium.