Red Blood Cell-Transketolase Activity in Malnourished Alcoholics with

] JfEASUREMENT of the red blood cell lvi (RBC)-transketolase activity is widely used to d!etect thiamine deficiency in man (1, 2). Activity of this enzyme decreases in subjects maintained on a thiamine-de-ficient diet (3) and is markedly reduced in patients with Wernicke’s encephalopathy associated with ocular palsies (4). The value of this test in diagnosis has been questioned because hepatic necrosis ap-pears to alter transketolase activity in-d!ependent of thiamine status (5). Limita-tions in use of RBC-transketolase activity for assessment of thiamine status in pa-tients with severe cirrhosis and peripheral neuropathy were evaluated in the present study. ‘From the Division of Hepatic Metabolism an