Severe thiamine deficiency resulted in Wernicke's encephalopathy in a chronic dialysis patient

2006 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 290-293 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kae Ueda ◽  
Daisuke Takada ◽  
Akiko Mii ◽  
Yuko Tsuzuku ◽  
Sabine Kyoko Saito ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thiamine Deficiency ◽  
Dialysis Patient ◽  
Chronic Dialysis ◽  
Wernicke’S Encephalopathy ◽  
Wernicke's Encephalopathy ◽  
Chronic Dialysis Patient

Management of the Pregnant Chronic Dialysis Patient

2007 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 146-155 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sai Subhodhini Reddy ◽  
Jean L. Holley
Keyword(s):  
Dialysis Patient ◽  
Chronic Dialysis ◽  
Chronic Dialysis Patient

scholarly journals Starvation-induced diplopia and weakness: a case of beriberi and Wernicke’s encephalopathy

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. e227412 ◽  
Author(s):  
Timothy Xin Zhong Tan ◽  
Kheng Choon Lim ◽  
Charles Chan Chung ◽  
Than Aung
Keyword(s):  
Thiamine Deficiency ◽  
Kidney Injury ◽  
Wernicke’S Encephalopathy ◽  
Wernicke's Encephalopathy ◽  
Good Effect ◽  
Diagnostic Dilemma ◽  
Sensorimotor Polyneuropathy ◽  
Signal Abnormality ◽  
Loss Of Weight ◽  
Medical Emergencies

A 56-year-old teetotaller man with hypertension and gout presented with a week duration of painless worsening diplopia on a background of loss of weight and appetite, generalised lethargy and weakness for 1 year. On examination, he was noted to be hypothermic and tachycardic with generalised muscle wasting. Proximal myopathy, lower limb fasciculations and areflexia, restricted bilateral eye abduction and nystagmus were observed. Blood investigations demonstrated compensated lactic acidosis, acute kidney injury and leucocytosis. A nerve conduction study showed severe length-dependent axonal sensorimotor polyneuropathy. This was a diagnostic dilemma until an MRI brain revealed symmetrical signal abnormality and enhancement in the periaqueductal area indicative of Wernicke’s encephalopathy, caused by thiamine deficiency from poor nutrition. Beriberi, also caused by thiamine deficiency, accounted for his tachycardia, polyneuropathy, areflexia, hypothermia and biochemical abnormalities. Both beriberi and Wernicke’s encephalopathy are medical emergencies, which were treated with intravenous thiamine to good effect.

Wernicke's Encephalopathy Complicating Schizophrenia

1993 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 638-652 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bruce Spittle ◽  
Josie Parker
Keyword(s):  
Alcohol Abuse ◽  
Psychiatric Disorder ◽  
Mental State ◽  
Thiamine Deficiency ◽  
Psychiatric Patients ◽  
Wernicke’S Encephalopathy ◽  
Wernicke's Encephalopathy ◽  
Altered Mental State

Wernicke's encephalopathy producing an altered mental state may occur in malnourished psychiatric patients even in the absence of alcohol abuse. A case is reported of a woman, aged 61 years, with schizophrenia who refused her medication for four months, had the delusion she was dying from a tumour, and withdrew to her bed with a neglect of her nutrition. She was committed to hospital in a mute unresponsive state and after taking some food and fluids for four days lapsed into coma. She responded within three hours to the administration of thiamine. Clinicians need to remain vigilant to the possibility that an altered mental state in malnourished patients may be due to thiamine deficiency rather than to the primary psychiatric disorder. If doubt exists as to the presence of Wernicke's encephalopathy, then parenteral thiamine should be administered.

scholarly journals Don’t seek, don’t find: The diagnostic challenge of Wernicke’s encephalopathy

2020 ◽  
pp. 000456322093960
Author(s):  
Sara Kohnke ◽  
Claire L Meek
Keyword(s):  
Bariatric Surgery ◽  
Thiamine Deficiency ◽  
Early Recognition ◽  
Gastrointestinal Surgery ◽  
High Risk Patient ◽  
Wernicke’S Encephalopathy ◽  
Wernicke's Encephalopathy ◽  
Cognitive State ◽  
Permanent Disability ◽  
Patient Groups

Wernicke’s encephalopathy is caused by thiamine deficiency and has a range of presenting features, including gait disturbance, altered cognitive state, nystagmus and other eye movement disorders. In the past, Wernicke’s encephalopathy was described almost exclusively in the alcohol-dependent population. However, in current times, Wernicke’s encephalopathy is also well recognized in many other patient groups, including patients following bariatric surgery, gastrointestinal surgery, cancer and pancreatitis. Early recognition of Wernicke’s encephalopathy is vital, as prompt treatment can restore cognitive or ocular function and can prevent permanent disability. Unfortunately, Wernicke’s encephalopathy is often undiagnosed – presumably because it is relatively uncommon and has a variable clinical presentation. Clinical biochemists have a unique role in advising clinicians about potential nutritional or metabolic causes of unexplained neurological symptoms and to prompt consideration of thiamine deficiency as a potential cause in high-risk patient groups. The aim of this review is to summarize the clinical features, diagnosis and treatment of Wernicke’s encephalopathy and to highlight some non-traditional causes, such as after bariatric surgery.

Spontaneous rupture of arteriovenous fistula in a chronic dialysis patient

2003 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 224-225 ◽  
Author(s):  
H.üseyin Çaksen ◽  
Dursun Odabaş ◽  
Şükrü Arslan ◽  
Ali Kaya
Keyword(s):  
Arteriovenous Fistula ◽  
Spontaneous Rupture ◽  
Dialysis Patient ◽  
Chronic Dialysis ◽  
Chronic Dialysis Patient

scholarly journals Wernicke’s encephalopathy induced by the use of diet pills and unbalanced diet

2014 ◽  
Vol 155 (12) ◽  
pp. 469-474
Author(s):  
Adrián Tóth ◽  
Gabriella Aradi ◽  
György Várallyay ◽  
Zsuzsanna Arányi ◽  
Dániel Bereczki ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thiamine Deficiency ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Wernicke’S Encephalopathy ◽  
Wernicke's Encephalopathy ◽  
Chronic Form ◽  
Neurological Signs ◽  
Prompt Treatment ◽  
Life Threatening ◽  
Unbalanced Diet ◽  
Diet Pills

Wernicke’s encephalopathy is an acute, potentially life-threatening, neurological syndrome resulting from thiamine deficiency. The disorder is still greatly underdiagnosed and, without prompt treatment, the condition can lead to the chronic form of the disease, Korsakoff’s syndrome or even death. In developed countries Wernicke’s encephalopathy has been associated with alcoholism, but in recent years there has been an increasing number of non-alcoholic cases. Authors report the case of a 23-year-old woman who developed oculomotor dysfunction, encephalopathy and ataxia as a result of an extreme diet and use of diet pills. The diagnosis of Wernicke’s encephalopathy was supported by the resolution of neurological signs after parenteral thiamine replacement. This case is presented because of the rare etiology and diagnostic difficulty, and the latest diagnostic and therapic guidelines are also highlighted. Orv. Hetil., 2014, 155(12), 469–474.

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