Clinically unapparent XXXX in Vientiane, Laos.

@entity1 @entity4602 @entity72988 @entity922
BACKGROUND: Beriberi occurs in Vientiane, @entity4602 PDR, among breastfed @entity1 . @entity922 may be the tip of an iceberg with @entity72988 contributing to other illnesses. Thiamin treatment could improve outcome. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: A cohort of 778 sick @entity1 admitted during one year without clinical evidence of beriberi were studied prospectively and erythrocyte transketolase assays (ETK) performed. @entity72988 was defined both in terms of the activation coefficient (a>31%) and basal ETK activity <0.59 micromoles/min/gHb. Of the 778 @entity1 , median (range) age was 5 (0-12) months, 79.2% were breastfed, 5.1% had a>31% and 13.4 % basal ETK<0.59 micromoles/min/gHb. @entity1 >= 2 months old had a higher frequency of biochemical markers of @entity72988 . Mortality was 5.5% but, among @entity1 >= 2 months old, mortality was higher in those with basal ETK<0.59 micromoles/min/gHb (3/47, 6.4%) than in those with basal ETK>= 0.59 micromoles/min/gHb (1/146, 0.7%) (P=0.045, relative risk=9.32 (95%CI 0.99 to 87.5)). Multivariate regression analysis indicated that @entity1 age>= 2 months and fewer maternal years of schooling were independently associated with @entity1 basal ETK<0.59 micromoles/min/gHb. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Clinically unapparent @entity72988 is common among sick @entity1 (>= 2 months old) admitted to hospital in Vientiane. This may contribute to mortality and a low clinical threshold for providing thiamin to sick @entity1 may be needed.
