Blood Thiamine and Nicotinic Acid Levels in Alcoholism and Confusional States

¹ Lecturer in Psychological Medicine, University of Glasgow, Southern General Hospital, Glasgow, S.W.1

Whole blood thiamine and nicotinic acid levels have been measured in psychiatric patients. There was no difference in the levels of these vitamins in patients with dementia compared with a control group. In patients suffering from delirium tremens 7 out of 9 had low whole blood thiamine levels and 3 out of 15 had low nicotinic acid levels. There was a positive relationship between increasing symptoms of alcoholic withdrawal and a decreasing mean thiamine level. Some patients with alcoholic peripheral neuropathy were found to have low thiamine and nicotinic acid levels. A few patients with confusional states were found to have low vitamin levels, and all these had had poor dietary intake. The assay of B vitamins may become of increasing value in psychiatric diagnosis. Although the use of vitamins in delirium tremens is justified, there is no evidence to suggest that parenteral administration or massive doses are necessary.