A case of beriberi accompanying short bowel.

A case of beriberi based on short bowel is reported. A 4 year old girl, who underwent a resection of the intestine when a neonate and has had a short bowel, manifested beriberi despite eating normal Japanese food. Considering that she has had no dislikes of foods, and her family members, who have eaten meals similar to hers have been healthy, beriberi is considered in this case to have developed mainly through hypoabsorption of vitamin B1. This patient has responded well to vitamin B1 therapy with a relatively slow recovery in neural functions. Although it has not been confirmed whether short bowel syndrome is prone to be accompanied by beriberi, special attention should be given to vitamin B1 in short bowel syndrome patients.