Work

Functional thiamine status in cord blood of near-term gestational women in Northeast India: an erythrocyte transketolase activity coefficient-based cross-sectional study

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Background Thiamine (vitamin B1) deficiency is an underappreciated nutritional problem in Northeast India. Maternal deficiency during pregnancy compromises the neonatal thiamine reserve, placing exclusively breastfed infants at risk of fatal infantile beriberi. The cord blood erythrocyte transketolase activity coefficient (ETK-AC) at delivery provides a direct proxy of functional thiamine status at the maternal–fetal interface. Objectives To determine functional thiamine status in near-term gestational women delivering at a referral hospital in Northeast India using cord blood ETK-AC, and to identify factors associated with deficiency. Methods A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted from October to November 2023 at Makunda Christian Leprosy and General Hospital, Sribhumi (Karimganj), Assam. Thirty-two near-term pregnant women were enrolled. Cord blood was collected at delivery, and ETK-AC was categorised as sufficiency (≤1.15), moderate risk of deficiency (>1.15–≤1.25) or high risk of deficiency (>1.25). Results Mean age was 27.3 ± 5.2 years and mean cord blood haemoglobin 16.0 ± 1.7 g/dL. Among the 32 participants, an elevated ETK-AC (>1.15), indicating at least a moderate risk of thiamine deficiency, was present in 28% (25% moderate risk, 3% high risk; mean ETK-AC 1.102 ± 0.102); no value reached the beriberi-associated threshold of 1.4. Deficiency appeared highest in women aged >35 years (67%) and in their second pregnancy (50%), and multivitamin/B-vitamin supplementation was associated with a lower prevalence (14% vs 39%); however, none of these subgroup comparisons reached statistical significance. Cord blood haemoglobin correlated inversely with ETK-AC (r = −0.375, p = 0.035). Conclusions An elevated ETK-AC (>1.15) in 28% of participants at delivery — including 3% at high risk (>1.25) and none in the beriberi-associated range — identifies a subset of near-term mothers whose breastfed neonates face potential risk of infantile beriberi. Prenatal thiamine supplementation and targeted dietary counselling are urgently warranted in Northeast India.

Source: Human Nutrition & Metabolism

DOI: 10.1016/j.hnm.2026.200391