Cardiac beri beri--an old disease in modern Singapore--2 case reports.

This case report presents two Malay brothers who developed acute high output congestive cardiac failure within two weeks of each other. They gave a history of excessive alcohol consumption for six months, and glue sniffing for one year. The serum pyruvate levels were elevated in both prior to treatment. Haemodynamic studies were done in the second brother, and measurements obtained before, during and after treatment. A dramatic clinical response to parenteral thiamine was observed in both patients in the acute stage. The haemodynamic study was repeated after three months and showed a normal pattern.