thiamine def

Q: Hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis causes the loss of? (select one)

A) Water soluble vitamins
B) Fat soluble vitamins


Answer: A

Although it may be easy to guess the answer as dialysis serves the purpose of euvolemia, the objective of the above question is to pinpoint the loss of a very important vitamin, Thiamine. There is a misconception that thiamine is only deficient in chronic alcoholism patients. Thiamine is water-soluble and can be deficient in many other situations like anorexia nervosa, hyperemesis of pregnancy, total parental nutrition (TPN) and starvation.

#nephrology
#vitamins


Reference:

Hung SC, Hung SH, Tarng DC, et al. Thiamine deficiency and unexplained encephalopathy in hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis patients. Am J Kidney Dis 2001; 38:941.