In the developed world, vitamin B1 deficiency presenting as Wernicke's encephalopathy occurs mainly in those who chronically misuse alcohol, particularly in the context of poor nutritional intake.[3]Chandrakumar A, Bhardwaj A, 't Jong GW. Review of thiamine deficiency disorders: Wernicke encephalopathy and Korsakoff psychosis. J Basic Clin Physiol Pharmacol. 2018 Oct 2;30(2):153-62.
https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/jbcpp-2018-0075/html
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30281514?tool=bestpractice.com
[11]Rasiah R, Gregoriano C, Mueller B, et al. Hospital outcomes in medical patients with alcohol-related and non-alcohol-related Wernicke encephalopathy. Mayo Clin Proc. 2024 May;99(5):740-53.
https://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/article/S0025-6196(23)00356-7/fulltext
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/38069922?tool=bestpractice.com
Vitamin B1 deficiency in infants and children is extremely rare in the developed world as there is access to thiamine‐rich food and adequate intake.[10]Whitfield KC, Bourassa MW, Adamolekun B, et al. Thiamine deficiency disorders: diagnosis, prevalence, and a roadmap for global control programs. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2018 Oct;1430(1):3-43.
https://nyaspubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/nyas.13919
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30151974?tool=bestpractice.com
Vitamin B1 deficiency is thought to be more prevalent in some low- and middle-income countries where diets are low in thiamine. There may be increased prevalence of vitamin B1 deficiency, especially infantile beriberi, in countries in Southeast Asia where there is a high consumption of thiamine-depleted polished rice.[10]Whitfield KC, Bourassa MW, Adamolekun B, et al. Thiamine deficiency disorders: diagnosis, prevalence, and a roadmap for global control programs. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2018 Oct;1430(1):3-43.
https://nyaspubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/nyas.13919
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30151974?tool=bestpractice.com
[12]Johnson CR, Fischer PR, Thacher TD, et al. Thiamin deficiency in low- and middle-income countries: disorders, prevalences, previous interventions and current recommendations. Nutr Health. 2019 Jun;25(2):127-51.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30798767?tool=bestpractice.com
Vitamin B1 deficiency may also be prevalent in some African nations where cassava root (a poor source of thiamine) is a primary source of energy, some areas of the Americas, and in regions where conditions such as famine and displacement lead to food insecurity, especially in individuals with an increased metabolic need (e.g., pregnancy, infancy, critical illness).[10]Whitfield KC, Bourassa MW, Adamolekun B, et al. Thiamine deficiency disorders: diagnosis, prevalence, and a roadmap for global control programs. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2018 Oct;1430(1):3-43.
https://nyaspubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/nyas.13919
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30151974?tool=bestpractice.com
[12]Johnson CR, Fischer PR, Thacher TD, et al. Thiamin deficiency in low- and middle-income countries: disorders, prevalences, previous interventions and current recommendations. Nutr Health. 2019 Jun;25(2):127-51.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30798767?tool=bestpractice.com
Lack of standardisation in data from different laboratories and assay methods and lack of consensus on clinical case definitions complicates assessment of the global prevalence of thiamine deficiency disorders.[10]Whitfield KC, Bourassa MW, Adamolekun B, et al. Thiamine deficiency disorders: diagnosis, prevalence, and a roadmap for global control programs. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2018 Oct;1430(1):3-43.
https://nyaspubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/nyas.13919
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30151974?tool=bestpractice.com
[12]Johnson CR, Fischer PR, Thacher TD, et al. Thiamin deficiency in low- and middle-income countries: disorders, prevalences, previous interventions and current recommendations. Nutr Health. 2019 Jun;25(2):127-51.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30798767?tool=bestpractice.com