Abstract
Thiamine content of blood was determined and urinary excretion after an administration of the vitamin was estimated in 77 cases of dermatitis, 89 cases of acute and subacute eczema, and 62 cases of chronic eczema. At the same time, blood pyruvic acid levels were also determined as adjunct to the studies on thiamine metabolism. Thiamine metabolism was seldom disturbed in the comparatively simple eczema with localized lesions, as in the dermatitis. On the contrary, a large proportion of the cases of widely spread eczema with a strong tendency to involve the exposed area of the skin, was associated with disturbed thiamine metabolism. It was worthy to note that there was disturbed metabolism of various kinds, such as macrocytic anemia, functional disturbance of the liver and achylia gastrica, along with thiamine deficiency, in these cases.
