[The assessment of the nutritional status of patients with epidemic neuropathy in the year of its evolution. The biochemical indicators]. / Evaluación del estado nutricional de enfermos con neuropatía epidémica al año de evolución. Indicadores bioquímicos.

The nutritional status of a group of patients with epidemic neuropathy (EN) was reevaluated after a one-year follow-up to observe the changes occurred and to assess their relationship with the individual clinical evolution. 71 patients (40 men and 31 women) were examined. 28 had optic epidemic neuropathy and 43 mixed epidemic neuropathy. Vitamins thiamine, niacin, A and E were determined and the values were compared with those of risk 21 days later. There was an improvement of these indicators after 21 days as a response to the treatment, and an increase one year later of the percentage of individuals deficient in or situated at the margin of thiamine and niacin, which reflects a nutritional unbalance without an apparent association with the clinical evolution that showed a trend towards the recovery of the patients. This disassociation between the clinics and the nutritional and vitamin status suggest that the pathogeny of the EN may be connected with non-nutritional factors. The deficiency found in the nutritional vitamin state could anticipate a worsening of the clinical picture and/or the appearance of clinical manifestations corresponding to deficiency diseases.