Effects of Acute Thiamine Deficiency on the Electrocardiogram of the Chick

Abstract

CARDIAC abnormalities resulting from thiamine deficiency have been reported in man and experimental animals by a number of workers. Some of these have been reviewed and discussed by Hundley et al. (1945). Electrocardiographic changes in swine resulting from the deficiency include: bradycardia, prolonged P-R interval, second degree A-V block, complete A-V block, A-V dissociation, and others (Wintrobe et al., 1943). Partridge (1948) has also reported disturbances in A-V conduction in swine as a result of thiamine deficiency. In rats, sinus arrhythmia, sinus arrest, a trial fibrilation, A-V nodal rhythm, first degree A-V block, shifting pacemaker, and other abnormalities have been reported by Hundley et al. (1945). Some of these abnormalities were also observed in thiamine-deficient cats (Toman et al., 1945). A number of workers have reported the effects of deficiencies in thiamine and other B complex vitamins upon growth and behavior of the chicken, but none has studied the effects …