@article{fdi:010071224,
  title = {{H}igh prevalence of thiamine (vitamin {B}1) deficiency in early childhood among a nationally representative sample of {C}ambodian women of childbearing age and their children},
  author = {{W}hitfield, {K}. {C}. and {S}mith, {G}. and {C}hamnan, {C}. and {K}arakochuk, {C}. {D}. and {S}ophonneary, {P}. and {K}uong, {K}. and {D}ijkhuizen, {M}. {A}. and {H}ong, {R}. and {B}erger, {J}acques and {G}reen, {T}. {J}. and {W}ieringa, {F}ranck},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{B}ackground {T}hiamine deficiency is thought to be an issue in {C}ambodia and throughout {S}outheast {A}sia due to frequent clinical reports of infantile beriberi. {H}owever the extent of this public health issue is currently unknown due to a lack of population-representative data. {T}herefore we assessed the thiamine status (measured as erythrocyte thiamine diphosphate concentrations; e{T}h{DP}) among a representative sample of {C}ambodian women of childbearing age (15-49 y) and their young children (6-69 mo). {M}ethodology/{P}rinciple findings {S}amples for this cross-sectional analysis were collected as part of a national micronutrient survey linked to the {C}ambodian {D}emographic and {H}ealth {S}urvey ({CDHS}) 2014. {O}ne-sixth of households taking part in the {CDHS} were randomly selected and re-visited for additional blood sampling for e{T}h{DP} analysis (719 women and 761 children). {T}hiamine status was assessed using different cut-offs from literature. {W}omen were mean ({SD}) 30 (6) y, and children (46% girls) were 41 (17) mo. {W}omen had lower mean (95% {C}l) e{T}h{DP} of 150 nmol/{L} (146-153) compared to children, 174 nmol/{L} (171-179; {P} < 0.001). {U}sing the most conservative cut-off of e{T}h{DP} < 120 nmol/ {L}, 27% of mothers and 15% of children were thiamine deficient, however prevalence rates of deficiency were as high as 78% for mothers and 58% for children using a cut-off of < 180 nmol/{L}. {T}hiamine deficiency was especially prevalent among infants aged 6-12 mo: 38% were deficient using the most conservative cut-off (< 120 nmol/{L}). {C}onclusions/{S}ignificance {T}here is a lack of consensus on thiamine status cut-offs; more research is required to set clinically meaningful cut-offs. {D}espite this, there is strong evidence of suboptimal thiamine status among {C}ambodian mothers and their children, with infants <12 mo at the highest risk. {B}ased on e{T}h{DP} from this nationally-representative sample, immediate action is required to address thiamine deficiency in {C}ambodia, and likely throughout {S}outheast {A}sia.},
  keywords = {{CAMBODGE}},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{PLOS} {N}eglected {T}ropical {D}iseases},
  volume = {11},
  numero = {9},
  pages = {e0005814 [15 p.]},
  ISSN = {1935-2735},
  year = {2017},
  DOI = {10.1371/journal.pntd.0005814},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010071224},
}