THE DIAGNOSIS OF BERIBERI HEART DISEASE

Abstract

The customary methods of studying and classifying heart disease in man was employed at the Cincinnati General Hospital, and a small group found that conformed to no known class of heart disease. They were found also to have signs of pellagra or neuritis as well as a history of prolonged deficiency of diet. These patients either got well and remained well or else died of heart failure showing a pathologic state consistent with nonspecific cellular injury of the heart muscle at autopsy. When 11 such patients were collected after 6 yrs., the following peculiarities were set down as the criteria of diagnosis: Enlarged heart with normal rhythm (sino-auricular); dependent edema; elevated venous pressure; peripheral neuritis or pellagra; non-specific changes in electrocardiogram; no other cause evident; gross deficiency of diet for 3 mos. or more; improvement and reduction of heart size after specific treatment, or autopsy findings consistent with beriberi.