The haematic thiamine level in the course of alcoholic neuropathy

The specific roles of ethanol and malnutrition in the pathogenesis of neurological disorders of chronic alcoholism remain unclear. We measured plasmatic thiamine levels and erythrocyte transketolase activity in 30 alcoholics with peripheral neuropathy and in 4 with a Wernicke-Korsakoff (W-K) syndrome. Thiamine levels in the first group were comparable to those of normal subjects while a significantly lower concentration was found in W-K syndrome. Transketolase activity was lower for both groups in comparison with normal subjects. We suggest that a defect in thiamine utilization is involved in peripheral neuropathy of alcoholics, rather than a lack of thiamine itself.