Association of Pyridoxine Deficiency and Convulsions in Alcoholics. ∗ †

Summary

1. Increased xanthurenic acid excretion after 10 g dl-tryptophane was demonstrated in 3 of 5 patients with rum fits. This metabolic defect was corrected by Vit. B₆ in a second tryptophane load test. 2. Patients with alcoholism and associated epilepsy, acute and chronic alcoholism, cirrhosis, acute hallucinosis-tremulousness, acute peripheral neuropathy, Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome, and a non-alcoholic, healthy individual did not demonstrate significant Vit. B₆ deficiency by this test. 3. It is postulated that Vit. B₆ deficiency is etiologically related to rum fits.