Shoshin Beriberi and Severe Accidental Hypothermia as Causes of Heart Failure in a 6-Year-Old Child: A Case Report and Brief Review of Literature

Research progress on nutritional support in the neonatal and pediatric populations receiving extracorporeal membrane oxygenation

Nutritional support is crucial for the prognosis of children supported by extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). This article discusses the latest research progress and guideline recommendations for nutritional support during ECMO. We summarize the nutritional status and evaluation of ECMO patients, nutritional support methods and timing, trace elements, the impact of continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT), and energy requirements and algorithms. The article shows that malnutrition is high in ECMO patients compared to other critically ill patients, with nearly one-third of patients experiencing a decrease in nutritional indicators. The timing of the initiation of nutrition is very important for the nutritional status of the child. Early enteral nutrition can improve patient prognosis, which is the most commonly used, with parenteral nutrition as a supplement. However, the proportion of enteral nutrition is relatively low, and a stepwise nutrition algorithm can determine when to initiate early enteral nutrition and parenteral nutrition. Malnourishment during critical illness have been associated with increased morbidity as well as increased mortality. Nutritional status should be evaluated at admission by screening tools. In addition, changes in the levels of several metabolites in vivo, such as blood lipids, carnitine, and thiamine, can also reflect the degree of nutritional deficiency in critically ill children. This article provides a reference for the implementation of nutrition of pediatric ECMO patients and further research on nutritional support.

An Overview of Type B Lactic Acidosis Due to Thiamine (B1) Deficiency

Type B lactic acidosis can occur secondary to several factors, including thiamine deficiency, and is not as common as type A. Recognizing thiamine deficiency-associated lactic acidosis is challenging because serum thiamine concentrations are not routinely obtained, and a thorough and specific history is necessary for clinicians to suspect thiamine deficiency as a root cause. Furthermore, the appropriate dose and duration of thiamine treatment are not well defined. Untreated thiamine deficiency-associated lactic acidosis can lead to critical illness requiring lifesaving extracorporeal therapies. Additionally, if thiamine and glucose are not administered in an appropriate sequence, Wernicke encephalopathy or Korsakoff syndrome may occur. This review aims to summarize therapeutic treatment for thiamine deficiency-associated lactic acidosis, based on case reports/series and nutritional guidance. After a literature search of the PubMed database, 63 citations met inclusion criteria, of which 21 involved pediatric patients and are the focus of this review. -Citations describe dosing regimens ranging from 25 to 1000 mg of intravenous (IV) thiamine as a single dose, or multiple daily doses for several days. Specific guidance for critically ill adults recommends a thiamine range of 100 mg IV once daily to 400 mg IV twice daily. Although there are no specific recommendations for the pediatric population, given the relative safety of thiamine administration, its low cost, and our review of the literature, treatment with thiamine 100 to 200 mg IV at least once is supported, with ongoing daily doses based on clinical response of the patient, regardless of age.

Vitamin B1 Deficiency and Perimyocarditis Fulminans: A Case Study of Shoshin Syndrome in a Woman Following an Unbalanced Dietary Pattern Followed by a Literature Review

(1) Background: vitamin B1 level depletion, known as a beriberi syndrome, can lead to severe cardiovascular complications, from which perimyocarditis fulminans is one of the most severe. (2) Methods: this is a retrospective case study that includes an adult patient with clinical presentations of acute heart failure (HF) symptoms following perimyocarditis on the grounds of thiamine deficiency. (3) Results: A 49-year-old woman presented with acute HF symptoms due to perimyocarditis. The patient suddenly developed refractory cardiogenic shock with metabolic acidosis requiring maximal medical management, including an intra-aortic balloon pump and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. Due to additional peripheral polyneuropathy, beriberi disease was suspected after excluding other possible causes of the patient's condition. After administration of vitamin B1, clinical improvement in the patient's condition and the resolution of metabolic abnormalities were observed, which ultimately confirmed the diagnosis of Shoshin syndrome caused by the implementation of a gluten-free diet without indications for its adherence. (4) Conclusions: Fulminant beriberi disease, although considered rare, is a life-threatening condition and should always be included in the differential diagnosis of critically ill patients, notably those with malnutrition. An unbalanced diet can be detrimental and have severe consequences, i.e., perimyocarditis fulminans. However, treatment with thiamine can significantly improve the patient's cardiac function and restore hemodynamic and metabolic parameters.

Lessons of the month 1: Shoshin beriberi: A case report of fulminant cardiovascular collapse, intractable hyperlactatemia and deteriorating consciousness

Shoshin beriberi is a fulminant variant of thiamine deficiency, often presenting with severe lactic acidosis and cardiogenic shock. Due to the sparsity of this condition, delays in diagnosis can lead to fatality. However, rapid reversal of symptoms can be easily achieved through intravenous thiamine replacement.In this case report, we discuss a 57-year-old woman, who was previously fit and well, who presented to the emergency department with a 3-day history of extreme malaise, breathlessness and abdominal pain, with marked hypotension and tachycardia requiring vasopressor support and a severe rising lactic acidosis. Upon further questioning, a history of alcohol excess was noted. Rapid reversal of the marked haemodynamic instability was achieved upon administration of intravenous thiamine and the patient was discharged within 48 hours.

Pediatric thiamine deficiency disorders in high-income countries between 2000 and 2020: a clinical reappraisal

Often thought to be a nutritional issue limited to low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), pediatric thiamine deficiency (PTD) is perceived as being eradicated or anecdotal in high-income countries (HICs). In HICs, classic beriberi cases in breastfed infants by thiamine-deficient mothers living in disadvantaged socioeconomic conditions are thought to be rare. This study aims to assess PTD in HICs in the 21st century. Literature searches were conducted to identify case reports of PTD observed in HICs and published between 2000 and 2020. The analyzed variables were age, country, underlying conditions, clinical manifestations of PTD, and response to thiamine supplementation. One hundred and ten articles were identified, totaling 389 PTD cases that were classified into four age groups: neonates, infants, children, and adolescents. Eleven categories of PTD-predisposing factors were identified, including genetic causes, lifestyle (diabetes, obesity, and excessive consumption of sweetened beverages), eating disorders, cancer, gastrointestinal disorders/surgeries, critical illness, and artificial nutrition. TD-associated hyperlactatemia and Wernicke encephalopathy were the most frequent clinical manifestations. The circumstances surrounding PTD in HICs differ from classic PTD observed in LMICs and this study delineates its mutiple predisposing factors. Further studies are required to estimate its magnitude. Awareness is of utmost importance in clinical practice.

Rewarming From Hypothermic Cardiac Arrest Applying Extracorporeal Life Support: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Introduction: This systematic review and meta-analysis aims at comparing outcomes of rewarming after accidental hypothermic cardiac arrest (HCA) with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) or/and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). Material and Methods: Literature searches were limited to references with an abstract in English, French or German. Additionally, we searched reference lists of included papers. Primary outcome was survival to hospital discharge. We assessed neurological outcome, differences in relative risks (RR) of surviving, as related to the applied rewarming technique, sex, asphyxia, and witnessed or unwitnessed HCA. We calculated hypothermia outcome prediction probability score after extracorporeal life support (HOPE) in patients in whom we found individual data. P < 0.05 considered significant. Results: Twenty-three case observation studies comprising 464 patients were included in a meta-analysis comparing outcomes of rewarming with CPB or/and ECMO. One-hundred-and-seventy-two patients (37%) survived to hospital discharge, 76 of 245 (31%) after CPB and 96 of 219 (44 %) after ECMO; 87 and 75%, respectively, had good neurological outcomes. Overall chance of surviving was 41% higher (P = 0.005) with ECMO as compared with CPB. A man and a woman had 46% (P = 0.043) and 31% (P = 0.115) higher chance, respectively, of surviving with ECMO as compared with CPB. Avalanche victims had the lowest chance of surviving, followed by drowning and people losing consciousness in cold environments. Assessed by logistic regression, asphyxia, unwitnessed HCA, male sex, high initial body temperature, low pH and high serum potassium (s-K+) levels were associated with reduced chance of surviving. In patients displaying individual data, overall mean predictive surviving probability (HOPE score; n = 134) was 33.9 ± 33.6% with no significant difference between ECMO and CPB-treated patients. We also surveyed 80 case reports with 96 victims of HCA, who underwent resuscitation with CPB or ECMO, without including them in the meta-analysis. Conclusions: The chance of surviving was significantly higher after rewarming with ECMO, as compared to CPB, and in patients with witnessed compared to unwitnessed HCA. Avalanche victims had the lowest probability of surviving. Male sex, high initial body temperature, low pH, and high s-K+ were factors associated with low surviving chances.