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. 2024 Oct 21;26(1):92-94.
doi: 10.1002/jgf2.729. eCollection 2025 Jan.

Refeeding syndrome and vitamin B1 deficiency in a young man with normal body mass index following starvation in the COVID-19 era

Naoaki Tsuji  1 , Hisatoshi Okumura  2 , Satoshi Inaba  3 , Akihito Kaneko  4 , Atsushi Kawashima  3
Affiliations

Refeeding syndrome and vitamin B1 deficiency in a young man with normal body mass index following starvation in the COVID-19 era

Naoaki Tsuji et al. J Gen Fam Med. .

Abstract

COVID-19 has spread worldwide and significantly influenced economies. Refeeding syndrome (RFS) is a potentially fatal abnormalities of electrolytes and fluid that can occur in malnourished patients undergoing mechanical refeeding. Herein, we report the case of a man in his 20s with a normal body mass index who presented with RFS and vitamin B1 deficiency. Although it was uncommon under normal circumstances, it occurred because of the severe social situations that were prevalent in the COVID-19 era. In this era, physicians should carefully evaluate their patients' nutritional status to identify those at risk for RFS, even in young individuals.

Keywords: COVID‐19; Wernicke encephalopathy; refeeding syndrome; vitamin B1 deficiency.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have stated explicitly that there are no conflicts of interest in connection with this article.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the patient's brain. Diffusion‐weighted image (DWI) and fluid attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) revealed increased signal intensity in the bilateral dorsomedial thalami and around the cerebral aqueduct (white arrows).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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