A Case of Wernicke's Encephalopathy with Hyponatremia.
- Author:
Seong Keun LEE
1
;
Myeung Su LEE
;
Jae Hong LEE
;
Byoung Hyun PARK
;
Ki Seon GU
;
Seon Ho AHN
;
Ju Hung SONG
Author Information
1. Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Wonkwang University, Iksan, Korea.
- Publication Type:Case Report
- Keywords:
Thiamine;
Wernicke's encephalo-pathy;
Hyponatremia
- MeSH:
Adult;
Alcoholism;
Anorexia Nervosa;
Ataxia;
Female;
Glucose;
Humans;
Hyperemesis Gravidarum;
Hyponatremia*;
Korsakoff Syndrome;
Male;
Ophthalmoplegia;
Parenteral Nutrition, Total;
Pregnancy;
Renal Dialysis;
Starvation;
Thiamine;
Thiamine Deficiency;
Thyrotoxicosis;
Wernicke Encephalopathy*
- From:Korean Journal of Nephrology
2000;19(1):163-167
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
Thiamine deficiency is known to lead to certain neurologic sequales including Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome. Wernicke's encephalapathy is charac-terized by ataxia, ophthalmoplegia, nystagmus, and mental change. Although classically associated with chronic alcoholism, a number of other predisposing conditions exist such as hyperemesis gravidarum, thyrotoxicosis, starvation, anorexia nervosa, prolonged total parenteral nutrition, gastric plication and renal dialysis. We have experienced a case of Wernicke's encephalopathy associated with prolonged starvation which was misdiagnosed by hyponatremic ence-phalopathy at first, and which seemed to be developed by thiamine-free dextrose infusion in 39-year-old male patient. We report the case with review of the literature and emphasize the need for thiamine supplementation with slow correction of hyponatremia before the infusion of dextrose solution in the prolonged starved hyponatremic patient.
