Beriberi

Dry beriberi causes wasting and partial paralysis resulting from damaged peripheral nerves. It is also referred to as endemic neuritis. It is characterized by:

• Difficulty in walking
• Tingling or loss of sensation (numbness) in hands and feet
• Loss of tendon reflexes
• Loss of muscle function or paralysis of the lower legs
• Mental confusion/speech difficulties
• Pain
• Involuntary eye movements (nystagmus)
• Vomiting.

A selective impairment of the large proprioceptive sensory fibers without motor impairment can occur and present as a prominent sensory ataxia, which is a loss of balance and coordination due to loss of the proprioceptive inputs from the periphery and loss of position sense.^[3]

Wet beriberi affects the heart and circulatory system. It is sometimes fatal, as it causes a combination of heart failure and weakening of the capillary walls, which causes the peripheral tissues to become edematous. Wet beriberi is characterized by:

• Increased heart rate
• Vasodilation leading to decreased systemic vascular resistance, and high output cardiac failure
• Elevated jugular venous pressure
• Dyspnea (shortness of breath) on exertion
• Paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea
• Peripheral edema (swelling of lower legs)