Journal of Clinical Medicine Research, ISSN 1918-3003 print, 1918-3011 online, Open Access
Article copyright, the authors; Journal compilation copyright, J Clin Med Res and Elmer Press Inc
Journal website https://jocmr.elmerjournals.com

Original Article

Volume 17, Number 9, October 2025, pages 490-498

Association of Sex Difference With Thiamine Responsive Disorders in Internal Medicine: A Pilot Case-Control Study

Figure

↓  Figure 1. Flowchart depicting study participant enrollment.
Figure 1.

Tables

↓  Table 1. Demographic and Clinical Characteristics (n = 35)
 
Reference interval at our hospital TRD group (n = 21) Non-TRD group (n = 14) P-value Missing (%)
Significance: *P < 0.05; †P < 0.1. Data are presented as the number (percentage) using Pearson’s Chi-square test or Fisher’s exact test (two-sided), and median (interquartile range) using Wilcoxon rank-sum test as appropriate. Alb: albumin; ALT: alanine aminotransferase; AST: asparate aminotransferase; BMI: body mass index; BUN: blood urea nitrogen; CONUT: Controlling Nutritional Status; Cre: creatinine; eGFR: estimated glomerular filtration rate; F: female; γGT: gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase; Hb: hemoglobin; M: male; MCV: mean corpuscular volume; Plt: platelet count; PNI: Prognostic Nutritional Index; RBC: red blood cell count; TRD: thiamine responsive disorder; WBC: white blood cell count.
Sex (n, %) 0.023* 0
  Male 10 (47.6) 1 (7.1)
  Female 11 (52.4) 13 (92.9)
Age (years) 52 (33.5 - 70.5) 43 (24.8 - 76.3) 0.960 0
BMI (kg/m2) 19.8 (17.8 - 22.2) 21.9 (17.3 - 24.8) 51.4
Diet (n, %) 45.7
  Normal amount 7 (50) 3 (60)
  Unbalanced or small amount 7 (50) 2 (40)
Alcohol consumption (n, %) 48.6
  Never 6 (37.5) 2 (100)
  Monthly or less 1 (6.3) 0 (0)
  2 - 4 times a month 1 (6.3) 0 (0)
  2 - 3 times a week 0 (0) 0 (0)
  4 or more times a week 8 (50) 0 (0)
Specific comorbidity 2.9
  Gastrointestinal tract diseases (including surgery) (n, %) 3 (14.3) 0 (0) 0.251
Specific medication 0
  Diuretics (n, %) 2 (9.5) 0 (0) 0.506
Whole blood total vitamin B1 concentration (nmol/L) 80 - 219 93.1 (74.8 - 106.4) 88.1 (82.3 - 111.4) 0.589 0
WBC (/µL) 3,300 - 8,600 5,300 (4,100 - 6,300) 6,400 (4,950 - 8,050) 0.035* 0
  Neutrophils (%) 43.0 - 79.0 60.2 (55.3 - 69.6) 65.3 (55.8 - 74.4) 0.429
  Lymphocytes (%) 15.0 - 47.0 28.7 (22.4 - 32.9) 27.1 (18.9 - 36.4) 0.840
  Monocytes (%) 3.0 - 10.0 6.1 (4.9 - 8) 4.7 (3.7 - 5.8) 0.008*
  Eosinophils (%) 1.0 - 5.0 1.6 (0.6 - 3.7) 1.3 (0.5 - 2.9) 0.489
  Basophils (%) 0.0 - 1.0 0.5 (0.4 - 0.7) 0.5 (0.3 - 0.6) 0.721
RBC (×104/µL) 435 - 555 (M), 386 - 492 (F) 434 (381.5 - 468) 462 (427 - 480.3) 0.089† 0
Hb (g/dL) 13.7 - 16.8 (M), 11.6 - 14.8 (F) 13 (11.4 - 14.5) 13.4 (11.8 - 14.2) 0.973 0
MCV (fL) 83.6 - 98.2 92.6 (88.0 - 97.8) 88.7 (85.7 - 91.1) 0.031* 0
Plt (×103/µL) 158 - 348 263 (190.5 - 301) 253.5 (214.3 - 338.8) 0.480 0
AST (U/L) 13 - 30 19 (16.5 - 60.5) 16 (14.5 - 23) 0.028* 0
ALT (U/L) 10 - 42 (M), 7 - 23 (F) 15 (12 - 26) 12 (8.5 - 15.8) 0.098† 0
γGT (U/L) 13 - 64 (M), 9 - 32 (F) 17 (11.5 - 153.8) 16.5 (11.3 - 27.8) 0.533 8.6
Alb (g/dL) 4.1 - 5.1 4.1 (3.7 - 4.5) 4.2 (3.9 - 4.7) 0.417 0
BUN (mg/dL) 8 - 20 11 (8 - 15) 10 (7.5 - 16) 0.893 8.6
Cre (mg/dL) 0.65 - 1.07 (M), 0.46 - 0.79 (F) 0.7 (0.6 - 0.9) 0.7 (0.6 - 0.7) 0.711 0
eGFR (mL/min/1.73 m2) 60.0- 85.4 (60.7 - 107.5) 77.6 (69.7 - 98.0) 0.637 2.9
PNI 41- 47.0 (42.7 - 52.9) 52.0 (48.4 - 54.0) 0.077† 0
Modified CONUT score (n, %) 0
  Normal (0 - 1) 11 (52.4) 11 (78.6) 0.162
  Low risk (2 - 4) 9 (42.9) 3 (21.4) 0.282
  Medium risk (5 - 8) 1 (4.8) 0 (0) 1.000
  High risk (9 - 12) 0 (0) 0 (0)

 

↓  Table 2. Signs and Symptoms Which Were Suspected to Be a Vitamin B1 Deficiency by the Treating Physicians
 
TRD group (n = 21) Non-TRD group (n = 14) P-value
Male Female Male Female
Data are presented as the number (percentage) using Pearson’s Chi-square test or Fisher’s exact test (two-sided). Significance: *P < 0.1. OD: orthostatic dysregulation; TRD: thiamine responsive disorder.
Malaise and unidentified complaint (n, %) 3 (30) 7 (70) 0 (0) 5 (100) 0.728
Early satiety, loss of appetite, nausea and dyspepsia (n, %) 4 (66.7) 2 (33.3) 0 (0) 5 (100) 0.721
OD (lightheadedness and syncope) (n, %) 1 (16.7) 5 (83.3) 1 (33.3) 2 (66.7) 0.712
Double and blurred vision (n, %) 2 (66.7) 1 (33.3) 0 (0) 0 (0) 0.259
Leg weakness (n, %) 3 (100) 0 (0) 0 (0) 0 (0) 0.259
Leg edema (n, %) 2 (100) 0 (0) 0 (0) 1 (100) 1.000
Forgetfulness (n, %) 1 (50) 1 (50) 0 (0) 1 (100) 1.000
Fatigability, palpitation, diaphoresis and shortness of breath on exertion (n, %) 0 (0) 0 (0) 0 (0) 3 (100) 0.056*
Palpitation (n, %) 0 (0) 2 (100) 0 (0) 0 (0) 0.506
Whole body pain (n, %) 0 (0) 0 (0) 0 (0) 2 (100) 0.153
Abdominal pain (n, %) 0 (0) 0 (0) 0 (0) 1 (100) 0.400
Feverish (n, %) 0 (0) 1 (100) 0 (0) 0 (0) 1.000
Vertigo (n, %) 1 (100) 0 (0) 0 (0) 0 (0) 1.000
Dizziness (n, %) 0 (0) 0 (0) 0 (0) 1 (100) 0.400
Ear fullness (n, %) 1 (100) 0 (0) 0 (0) 0 (0) 1.000
Irritability (n, %) 0 (0) 1 (100) 0 (0) 0 (0) 1.000

 

↓  Table 3. Risk Factors for TRDs
 
Variable Univariate logistic regression analysis Multivariate logistic regression analysis (forced entry method)
OR (95% CI) P-value Adjusted OR (95% CI) P-value
Significance: *P < 0.05; †P < 0.1. An odds ratio (confidence interval) and a P-value were calculated based on likelihood ratio. ALT: alanine aminotransferase; AST: asparate aminotransferase; CI: confidence interval; CONUT: Controlling Nutritional Status; γGT: gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase; MCV: mean corpuscular volume; OR: odds ratio; PNI: Prognostic Nutritional Index.
Sex
  Male 1.00 (reference) 1.00 (reference)
  Female 0.08 (0.0043 - 0.55) 0.007* 0.03 (0.0009 - 0.32) 0.002*
Age (1-year increments) 1.00 (0.97 - 1.03) 0.955 0.96 (0.91 - 1.00) 0.066†
AST, ALT, γGT, and MCV
  All normal 1.00 (reference) 1.00 (reference)
  Any abnormal 2.26 (0.51 - 12.27) 0.291 0.80 (0.08 - 6.54) 0.829
PNI and modified CONUT score
  All normal 1.00 (reference) 1.00 (reference)
  Any abnormal 3.33 (0.77 - 18.0) 0.109 5.75 (0.87 - 65.6) 0.070†