Cardiac beriberi among illegal mainland Chinese immigrants

The most common symptoms of chronic beriberi due to thiamine deficiency inc lude dyspnoea, fatigue, leg oedema, lower extremity weakness and numbness. When collapsed peripheral circulation, metabolic acidosis, or shock are pre sent, the disease has advanced from chronic beriberi to pernicious or fulmi nating beriberi heart failure (Shoshin beriberi). We report two patients wi th fulminating beriberi; both of whom had been incarcerated at a detention centre for 5 months before hospitalization. A prolonged monotonous diet, lo w in thiamine, was a major risk factor in both patients. Thiamine deficienc y should be considered for any patient with symptoms and signs compatible w ith beriberi.