Thiamine (vitamin B₁) is a water-soluble vitamin that is not endogenously synthesized in humans. It is absorbed by the small intestine, where it is activated. Its active form acts as a coenzyme in many energy pathways. We report a rare case of thiamine deficiency in a 3.5-year old boy with short bowel syndrome secondary to extensive bowel resection due to necrotizing enterocolitis during his neonatal age. The patient was parenteral nutrition-dependent since birth and had suffered from recurrent central catheter-related bloodstream infections. He developed confusion with disorientation and unsteady gait as well as profound strabismus due to bilateral paresis of the abductor muscle. Based on these and a very low thiamine level he was diagnosed and treated for Wernicke encephalopathy due to incomplete thiamine acquisition despite adequate administration. He fully recovered after thiamine administration. After 1999 eight more cases have been reported in the PubMed mostly of iatrogenic origin.
Child ; Enterocolitis, Necrotizing ; Gait Disorders, Neurologic ; Humans ; Intestine, Small ; Male ; Parenteral Nutrition, Total ; Paresis ; Parturition ; Short Bowel Syndrome ; Strabismus ; Thiamine Deficiency ; Thiamine ; Vitamins ; Wernicke Encephalopathy

Wernicke encephalopathy is a syndrome caused by thiamine deficiency whose three typical symptoms are ophthalomoplegia, ataxia, and confusion. There are also rare reports of bilateral hearing loss, which can be caused by damage to the bilateral inferior colliculus or thalamic lesions, or by energy failure of the cochlea. This case suggests that thiamine should be administered based on the possibility of Wernicke encephalopathy occurring in malnourished or alcoholic patients with sudden bilateral hearing loss.
Alcoholics ; Ataxia ; Cochlea ; Hearing Loss ; Hearing Loss, Bilateral ; Humans ; Inferior Colliculi ; Thiamine ; Thiamine Deficiency ; Wernicke Encephalopathy

Metronidazole-induced encephalopathy (MIE) can be caused by excessive dose or prolonged metronidazole administration. The signal abnormalities in the cerebellar dentate nuclei, midbrain, dorsal pons and corpus callosum on magnetic resonance imaging are considered as the characteristic feature of MIE. Although the mechanism of MIE remains to be elucidated, various hypothesis have been proposed including the role of metronidazole as a thiamine antagonist. Here we report a 58-year-old woman with MIE who coincidentally presented with thiamine deficiency.
Brain Diseases ; Corpus Callosum ; Female ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Mesencephalon ; Metronidazole ; Middle Aged ; Pons ; Thiamine Deficiency ; Thiamine

Wernicke's encephalopathy is a fatal neurological disease caused by thiamine deficiency. Many reports indicate that Wernicke's encephalopathy is caused by malnutrition. We report the case of a 79-year-old female patient who had a left masticator space and parapharyngeal space abscess who was diagnosed with Wernicke's encephalopathy. She reported problems while eating due to the presence of the abscess, but the true quantities of food she was ingesting were never assessed. Clinicians have a responsibility to provide adequate nutritional support by ensuring that patients receive adequate nutrition. Clinicians should also keep in mind that Wernicke's encephalopathy may occur in patients who experienced prolonged periods of malnutrition.
Abscess* ; Aged ; Eating ; Female ; Humans ; Malnutrition ; Nutritional Support ; Parenteral Nutrition ; Thiamine Deficiency ; Wernicke Encephalopathy*

Wernicke's encephalopathy is an acute neurological deterioration due to a reversible brain lesion caused by thiamine deficiency. Most of the affected patients are thiamine-depleted alcoholics, and the condition usually involves the medial thalami, mammillary bodies, and periaqueductal area. However, there are rare reports of lesions in the cerebellum and cerebral cortex, especially in patients with nonalcoholic Wernicke's encephalopathy. We report a case of nonalcoholic Wernicke's encephalopathy involving atypical diffuse cortical regions, and review previously reported cases.
Alcoholics ; Brain ; Cerebellum ; Cerebral Cortex ; Humans ; Mammillary Bodies ; Thiamine Deficiency ; Wernicke Encephalopathy*

Wernicke's encephalopathy (WE) is an acute neurological disorder resulting from thiamine deficiency. Early diagnosis and treatment of WE is important to avoid persistent brain damage. Although histopathologic examination usually demonstrates pin-point hemorrhages in affected brain parenchyma, secondary hemorrhage is a rare but serious complication of WE. We experienced a rare case of intracranial hemorrhage related to WE in a 56-year-old male patient with malnourishment.
Brain ; Early Diagnosis ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Intracranial Hemorrhages* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nervous System Diseases ; Thiamine Deficiency ; Wernicke Encephalopathy*

Infected walled-off pancreatic necrosis (WOPN) is dangerous complication of acute pancreatitis. Open necrosectomy and post-operative irrigation of necrotic cavity have been conventional treatment for infected pancreatic necrosis, however, recently minimally invasive techniques such as endoscopic necrosectomy has been regarded as preferred treatment method for infected WOPN. Endoscopic necrosectomy provides a targeted approach with a reduction in the systemic inflammatory response and avoidance of wound complications. Non alcohol related Wernicke encephalopathy is rare disease caused by thiamine deficiency due to intravenous feeding, and presented an encephalopathy, oculomotor dysfunction, gait ataxia. We report herein a case of Wernicke encephalopathy after successful endoscopic necrosectomy for infected WOPN.
Gait Ataxia ; Necrosis ; Pancreatitis ; Pancreatitis, Acute Necrotizing* ; Parenteral Nutrition ; Rare Diseases ; Thiamine Deficiency ; Wernicke Encephalopathy* ; Wounds and Injuries

Micronutrient deficiencies in Crohn's disease (CD) patients are not uncommon and usually result in a combination of reduced dietary intake, disease-related malabsorption, and a catabolic state. Decreased serum thiamine levels are often reported in patients with CD. Wernicke's encephalopathy (WE) is a severe form of thiamine deficiency that can cause serious neurologic complications. Although WE is known to occur frequently in alcoholics, a number of non-alcoholic causes have also been reported. Here, we report two cases of non-alcoholic WE that developed in two severely malnourished CD patients who were supported by prolonged total parenteral nutrition without thiamine supplementation. These patients complained of sudden-onset ophthalmopathy, cerebellar dysfunction, and confusion. Magnetic resonance imaging allowed definitive diagnosis for WE despite poor sensitivity. The intravenous administration of thiamine alleviated the symptoms of WE dramatically. We emphasize the importance of thiamine supplementation for malnourished patients even if they are not alcoholics, especially in those with CD.
Administration, Intravenous ; Alcoholics ; Cerebellar Diseases ; Crohn Disease* ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Micronutrients ; Parenteral Nutrition, Total* ; Thiamine ; Thiamine Deficiency ; Wernicke Encephalopathy*

Wernicke's encephalopathy is a reversible but potentially critical disease caused by thiamine deficiency. Most patients complain of symptoms such as ophthalmoplegia, ataxia and confusion. Heavy alcohol drinking is commonly associated with the disease, but other clinical conditions also can provoke it. In pregnant women, hyperemesis gravidarum can lead to the depletion of body thiamine due to poor oral intake and a high metabolic demand. We report a case of Wernicke's encephalopathy following hyperemesis gravidarum in a 36-year-old female at 20 weeks of pregnancy, who visited our hospital because of shock with vaginal bleeding. This case suggests that although the initial presentation may include atypical symptoms (e.g., shock or bleeding), Wernicke's encephalopathy should be considered, and thiamine replacement should be performed in pregnant women with neurologic symptoms and poor oral intake.
Acute Kidney Injury ; Adult ; Alcohol Drinking ; Ataxia ; Female ; Humans ; Hyperemesis Gravidarum* ; Neurologic Manifestations ; Ophthalmoplegia ; Pregnancy ; Pregnant Women ; Shock ; Thiamine ; Thiamine Deficiency ; Uterine Hemorrhage ; Wernicke Encephalopathy*

Wernicke's encephalopathy is a reversible but potentially critical disease caused by thiamine deficiency. Most patients complain of symptoms such as ophthalmoplegia, ataxia and confusion. Heavy alcohol drinking is commonly associated with the disease, but other clinical conditions also can provoke it. In pregnant women, hyperemesis gravidarum can lead to the depletion of body thiamine due to poor oral intake and a high metabolic demand. We report a case of Wernicke's encephalopathy following hyperemesis gravidarum in a 36-year-old female at 20 weeks of pregnancy, who visited our hospital because of shock with vaginal bleeding. This case suggests that although the initial presentation may include atypical symptoms (e.g., shock or bleeding), Wernicke's encephalopathy should be considered, and thiamine replacement should be performed in pregnant women with neurologic symptoms and poor oral intake.
Acute Kidney Injury ; Adult ; Alcohol Drinking ; Ataxia ; Female ; Humans ; Hyperemesis Gravidarum ; Neurologic Manifestations ; Ophthalmoplegia ; Pregnancy ; Pregnant Women ; Shock ; Thiamine ; Thiamine Deficiency ; Uterine Hemorrhage ; Wernicke Encephalopathy