Functional Limitations in Thiamine Deficiency Neuropathy: FIM Score Improvement With Treatment.

We studied the functional limitations of the activities of daily living and the effect of treatment on 8 patients with thiamine deficiency neuropathy. Functional activities of daily living were evaluated using the functional independence measure whose scores were obtained before and after high-dose vitamin B1 therapy. In the pretreatment evaluation, the lowest mean score was that of in locomotion (stairs), followed by locomotion (walk-wheelchair), transfers (tub-shower), bathing, dressing the lower body, toileting, transfers (bed-chair-wheelchair), and transfers (toilet), in that order. This tendency was also observed after treatment. The most remarkable therapeutic efficacy was observed in locomotion (walk-wheelchair), followed by transfers (tub-shower), locomotion (stairs), dressing the lower body, and toileting, in that order. Every action reflects the motor ability of the lower extremities. Thiamine deficiency neuropathy should be assessed routinely not only by medical evaluation of clinical symptoms or laboratory studies but also by functional evaluation that reflects each patient's disability.