What is the dose of thiamine in alcoholic hepatitis?

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From the Guidelines

La dosis recomendada de tiamina para pacientes con hepatitis alcohólica es de 100-300 mg/día por vía intravenosa durante 3-4 días. Esta suplementación de tiamina de alta dosis es crucial porque los pacientes alcohólicos a menudo tienen deficiencia severa de tiamina debido a una ingesta dietética pobre, absorción disminuida y utilización alterada. La deficiencia de tiamina en la hepatitis alcohólica puede provocar encefalopatía de Wernicke, una complicación neurológica grave caracterizada por confusión, ataxia y anormalidades en los movimientos oculares. La administración intravenosa es preferida inicialmente porque evita los problemas potenciales de absorción en el tracto gastrointestinal. Después del curso inicial de IV, la suplementación oral debe continuar durante la hospitalización y después del alta como parte del plan de apoyo nutricional. La tiamina debe administrarse antes de cualquier fluido que contenga glucosa para prevenir la precipitación o empeoramiento de la encefalopatía de Wernicke, ya que el metabolismo de la glucosa aumenta los requisitos de tiamina 1.

Algunos puntos importantes a considerar son:

  • La tiamina se absorbe bien, excepto en la gastritis relacionada con el alcohol, por lo que puede administrarse por vía oral, enteral o intravenosa 1.
  • La ruta intravenosa es la más eficiente para proporcionar tiamina en casos de deficiencia aguda 1.
  • La dosis recomendada es de 100-300 mg/día por vía intravenosa durante 3-4 días, seguida de 100 mg oralmente al día 1.

Es fundamental tener en cuenta que la deficiencia de tiamina es común en pacientes con hepatitis alcohólica y que la suplementación de tiamina es crucial para prevenir complicaciones neurológicas graves. La administración de tiamina antes de cualquier fluido que contenga glucosa es fundamental para prevenir la precipitación o empeoramiento de la encefalopatía de Wernicke 1.

From the FDA Drug Label

OVERDOSAGE: Parenteral doses of 100 to 500 mg singly have been administered without toxic effects. However, dosages exceeding 30 mg three times a day are not utilized effectively. The dose of thiamine is 30 mg three times a day. 2

From the Research

Thiamine Dosing for Alcoholic Hepatitis

  • The provided studies do not directly address the dose of thiamine in alcoholic hepatitis, but rather focus on thiamine dosing for Wernicke's encephalopathy and alcohol-induced conditions.
  • According to 3, doses of thiamine ranged from 100 to 1500 mg intravenous thiamine and up to 300 mg IM thiamine, with no apparent difference in patient outcomes.
  • 4 suggests the following thiamine dosing regimens:
    • For patients with established Wernicke's encephalopathy: parenteral thiamine 200-500mg three times a day for 3-5 days, followed by oral thiamine 250-1000mg/day.
    • For patients with suspected Wernicke's encephalopathy: parenteral thiamine 250-300mg two times a day for 3-5 days, followed by oral thiamine 250-300mg/day.
  • 5 and 6 emphasize the importance of timely thiamine administration, but do not provide specific dosing recommendations for alcoholic hepatitis.
  • 7 notes that there are no universally accepted guidelines for thiamine dosing in Wernicke encephalopathy, but suggests that urgent and adequate thiamine replacement is necessary to avoid death or progression to Korsakoff syndrome.

References

Guideline

Guideline Directed Topic Overview

Dr.Oracle Medical Advisory Board & Editors, 2025

Research

Thiamine Dosing for the Treatment of Alcohol-Induced Wernicke's Encephalopathy: A Review of the Literature.

The Journal of pharmacy technology : jPT : official publication of the Association of Pharmacy Technicians, 2021

Research

[Thiamine (vitamin B1) treatment in patients with alcohol dependence].

Presse medicale (Paris, France : 1983), 2017

Research

Wernicke Encephalopathy-Clinical Pearls.

Mayo Clinic proceedings, 2019

Professional Medical Disclaimer

This information is intended for healthcare professionals. Any medical decision-making should rely on clinical judgment and independently verified information. The content provided herein does not replace professional discretion and should be considered supplementary to established clinical guidelines. Healthcare providers should verify all information against primary literature and current practice standards before application in patient care. Dr.Oracle assumes no liability for clinical decisions based on this content.

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