Wernicke's encephalopathy: A forgotten disease

Abstract

Wernicke's encephalopathy (WE) is an acute neurological condition characterized by ataxia, confusion, ocular findings, and impairment of consciousness due to thiamine deficiency. Although alcoholism is the most common reason, WE cases resulting from prolonged total parenteral nutrition (TPN) without multivitamin complex have been reported. Here we present a dramatic improvement in symptoms with high-dose thiamine in a patient who developed WE due to TPN after gastrointestinal surgery.

Recalling the Clinical Diagnosis of Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome

“…We read with interest the recent case report by Onuk et al titled "Wernicke's encephalopathy: a forgotten disease" (1). We agree with the authors that the phrase "a forgotten disease" aptly describes the subtle aspects of this condition that creates challenges in diagnosis.…”