Thiamine deficiency in general hospital patients.

The production of sedoheptulose-7-phosphate in the red blood cells of 15 patients was found to be below the suggested normal value. This intermediate product of glucose metabolism is the result of transketolase activity for which thiamine pyrophosphate is one of the co-factors. Without thiamine, the transketolase reaction is inhibited. Some nonlocalizing symptoms, perhaps previously thought due to hypoglycemia, may be occasioned by faulty glucose metabolism at the cellular level from a relative lack of thiamine.