A disease caused by a lack of thiamine resulting in peripheral, neurologic, cerebral, and cardiovascular symptoms.

Subsistence on highly-polished rice causes this deficiency resulting from loss of thiamine in milling.

Early in the deficiency, manifestations of beriberi may include fatigue, irritation, anorexia, poor memory, sleep disturbances, and constipation complaints related to abdominal discomfort. Werneicke-Korsakoff syndrome (cerebral beriberi) is the result of an acute deficiency in the presence of a chronic state of deficiency. Mental confusion and confabulation are early signs that could progress to coma and death, if untreated.

Laboratory findings indicate elevated blood pyruvate, diminished urinary thiamine excretion, and elevated lactate.

A balanced, nutritious diet, and administration of oral or parenteral thiamine is indicated for this disease.

A deficiency that is continual will cause a loss of the knee jerk reflex, loss of position sense of the toes, atrophy of leg muscles, foot drop, and toe drop. The arms may follow and be affected.

1. May be entitled to special monthly compensation where the veteran has a single service-connected disability rated as 100% and/or other requirements/qualifications under 38 CFR §3.350 [Special monthly compensation ratings]. Also reference 38 CFR 3.155(d)(2).

2. If the veteran is a former prisoner of war and was interned or detained for not less that 30 days,this disease shall be service connected if manifest to a degree of disability of 10 percent or more at any time after discharge or release from active military, naval, or air service even though there is no record of such disease during service, provided the rebuttable presumption provisions of §3.307 are also satisfied [38 CFR 3.309 (c) Disease subject to presumptive service connection].