What is beriberi?

Beriberi is the name applied to severe vitamin B1 (thiamine) deficiency. Vitamin B1 deficiency is most commonly seen in alcoholism, imbalanced diets (e.g., polished rice diet), gastrointestinal disease, gastrointestinal surgery (e.g., gastric bypass surgery for obesity), and pregnancy. The mucocutaneous manifestations consist of limb edema and glossitis. The most important extracutaneous manifestations include mental confusion, peripheral neuropathies, confabulation, Wernicke encephalopathy, and congestive heart failure.

Towbin A, Inge TH, Garcia VF, et al: Beriberi after gastric bypass surgery in adolescence, J Pediatr 145:263–267, 2004.