Hideki Onishi1, Mayumi Ishida1, Nozomu Uchida2, Takao Takahashi3, Daisuke Furuya4, Yasuhiro Ebihara5, Izumi Sato6, Tatsuo Akechi7. 1. Department of Psycho-oncology, Saitama Medical University International Medical Center, Saitama, Japan. 2. Department of General Medicine, Ogano Town Central Hospital, Saitama, Japan. 3. Department of Supportive Medicine, Saitama Medical University International Medical Center, Saitama, Japan. 4. Department of General Medicine, Saitama Medical University International Medical Center, Saitama, Japan. 5. Department of Laboratory Medicine, Saitama Medical University International Medical Center, Saitama, Japan. 6. Department of Pharmacoepidemiology, Graduate School of Medicine and Public Health, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan. 7. Department of Psychiatry and Cognitive-Behavioral Medicine, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Aichi, Japan.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Thiamine deficiency (TD) is recognized in various kinds of disease with associated loss of appetite including cancer; however, TD has not been recognized in the family caregivers of cancer patients to date. METHOD: From a series of cancer patient caregivers, we reported an aged family caregiver who developed TD while caring for the cancer patient. RESULT: The caregiver was a 90-year-old male. He had been accompanying his wife, who was diagnosed with colon cancer 4 years previously, on hospital visits as the primary caregiver, but because of psychological issues, he was recommended to visit the psycho-oncology department's "caregiver's clinic" for a consultation. Detailed examination revealed that his appetite had been only about 50% of usual from about one year before, and he had lost 12 kg in weight in one year. The diagnosis of TD was supported by his abnormally low serum thiamine level. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE RESULTS: This report demonstrates that there is a possibility that care providers could develop TD from the burdens associated with caregiving. TD should be considered whenever there is a loss of appetite lasting for more than 2 weeks, and medical staff should pay careful attention to the physical condition of care providers to prevent complications resulting from TD.
OBJECTIVE:Thiamine deficiency (TD) is recognized in various kinds of disease with associated loss of appetite including cancer; however, TD has not been recognized in the family caregivers of cancerpatients to date. METHOD: From a series of cancerpatient caregivers, we reported an aged family caregiver who developed TD while caring for the cancerpatient. RESULT: The caregiver was a 90-year-old male. He had been accompanying his wife, who was diagnosed with colon cancer 4 years previously, on hospital visits as the primary caregiver, but because of psychological issues, he was recommended to visit the psycho-oncology department's "caregiver's clinic" for a consultation. Detailed examination revealed that his appetite had been only about 50% of usual from about one year before, and he had lost 12 kg in weight in one year. The diagnosis of TD was supported by his abnormally low serum thiamine level. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE RESULTS: This report demonstrates that there is a possibility that care providers could develop TD from the burdens associated with caregiving. TD should be considered whenever there is a loss of appetite lasting for more than 2 weeks, and medical staff should pay careful attention to the physical condition of care providers to prevent complications resulting from TD.