A Systematic Review of the Role of Thiamine Supplementation in Treatment of Refeeding Syndrome

Abstract

The purpose of this systematic review is to identify studies where measurable thiamine supplementation was provided to patients at risk for or with refeeding syndrome to improve treatment guidelines. A systematic review of PubMed and CINAHL Plus databases was conducted using the terms refeeding syndrome, hypophosphatemia, thiamine, and vitamin B₁. A total of 173 articles were retrieved and 11 case studies and 1 retrospective study met inclusion criteria. All studies identified symptoms of thiamine deficiency, and all studies indicated thiamine supplementation was associated with improved clinical symptoms and no harmful outcomes. Average dose provided was 173-mg thiamine/day.