ABSTRACT
A 57-year-old man who was diagnosed with Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome showed severe impairment of cognitive function and a craving for alcohol, even after sufficient supplementation with thiamine. After completing 10 sessions of 10 Hz repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) at 100% of the resting motor threshold over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, dramatic improvement in cognitive function and a reduction in craving for alcohol were noted. This is the first case report of the efficacy of a high-frequency rTMS in the treatment of Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome.
Subject(s)
Humans , Middle Aged , Cognition , Craving , Korsakoff Syndrome , Prefrontal Cortex , Thiamine , Transcranial Magnetic StimulationABSTRACT
Objetivos: la encefalopatía de Wernicke es un desorden severo causado por deficiencia de vitamina B1. Esta enfermedad rara vez diagnosticada, es más prevalente de lo que se reporta, por lo que nuestro objetivo es presentar un caso inusual y hacer una revisión de la literatura.Materiales y métodos: se presenta el caso de una mujer gestante de 29 años de edad, con tiempo de gestación de 12 semanas, que ingresa al servicio de Emergencia del Hospital Macional Hipólito Unanue, hospital de referencia a nivel nacional, ubicado en Lima, Perú, que atiende pacientes de bajo nivel socioeconómico. Como sintomatología presentaba náuseas, vómitos incoercibles, amaurosis nocturna con manifestaciones psicóticas, ataxia y baja ponderal del 12% de peso. Se diagnosticó por bajos niveles séricos de vitamina B1. Para la búsqueda sistemática se utilizaron las palabras clave: Síndrome de Wernicke Korsakoff e Hiperemesis gravídica en bases de datos Pubmed, Scopus, Embase, DOAJ, SciELO, Latindex, Redalyc y Lilacs. Resultados: se encontraron 135 artículos, de los cuales 45 estaban relacionados directamente con el tema, de estos se seleccionaron 6 reportes de caso y 11 revisiones del tema. Conclusiones: la enfermedad de Wernicke Korsakoff asociada a hiperémesis gravídica es de difícil diagnóstico, y necesita manejo rápido y oportuno para conservar la salud de la madre y el feto
Objectives: Wernickes encephalopathy is a severe disorder caused by vitamin B1 deficiency. The prevalence of this rarely diagnosed disease is higher than reported. Consequently, our objective is to present an unusual case and conduct a review of the literature. Materials and methods: We present a case of a pregnant woman, 29 years old, who presented at 12 weeks of gestation to the emergency service of the Hospital Nacional Hipólito Unanue, a tertiary referral center in Lima, Peru, that serves patients in the low-income bracket. Symptoms included nausea, uncontrolled vomiting, night blindness with psychotic manifestations and ataxia, and low weight in the 12% range. Diagnosis was based on serum levels of B1 vitamin. A systematic search was conducted using the following key words: Wernicke Korsakoff syndrome and hyperemesis gravidarum in Pubmed, Scopus, Embase, DOAJ, SciELO, Latindex, Redalyc and Lilacs. Results: The search resulted in 135 articles, 45 of which were directly related to the topic. Of those, 6 case reports and 11 review articles were selected. Conclusions: Wernicke-Korsakoff disease associated with hyperemesis gravidarum is relatively difficult to diagnose, and requires prompt and timely management in order to preserve the health of the mother and the fetus
Subject(s)
Female , Pregnancy , Hyperemesis Gravidarum , Korsakoff SyndromeABSTRACT
La historia de la medicina reporta que algunos años atrás, antes de que se describiera la vitamina B 1 llamada también tiamina, ya se había descrito una enfermedad en un grupo de navegantes japoneses que causaba lesiones en el sistema nervioso y cardiovascular, entidad que se la conocía con el nombre de beriberi. El objetivo de la revisión es recordar la función de la vitamina B 1 en nuestro metabolismo, su importancia y requerimientos, además de conocer las consecuencias de su déficit, signos, síntomas y cuadros clínicos que se presentarían en ausencia de ésta. El beriberi y el Síndrome de Wernicke-Korsakoff son cuadros clínicos que aparecen por la deficiencia de tiamina; sus manifestaciones son variadas, incluyen trastarnos neurológicos, cardiovasculares, psiquiátricos y pueden llevar incluso a la muerte.
Medicine history tells us that some years ago, before vitamine B1, also called thiamine, were described, it was already known a disease in a group of Japanese sailors. That disease caused damage in the nervous and cardiovascular systems and was known with the name of beriberi. The objective of this study is to remember the vitamine B1function in our metabolism, its importance and requirements as well as to know the consequences derived from its deficiency, signs, symptoms and medical profiles appearing because of thiamine deficiency; its features are varied, and include neurological, cardiovascular, and psychiatric disorders. They can even lead patients to death.
Subject(s)
Male , Female , Beriberi , Korsakoff Syndrome , Thiamine Deficiency , Wernicke EncephalopathyABSTRACT
Alcohol-induced cognitive disorder is a very severe problem in problem alcohol drinker and alcohol itself seems to be one of the main causalities in the development of senile dementia. However, the spectrum of alcohol induced cognitive disorder is quite broad, for example, it covered from alcohol-induced persistent amnestic disorder to Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome and alcohol-induced persistent dementia. By that reason, broad spectrum of cognitive impairment by excessive alcohol drinking is regarded as alcohol related dementia. The pharmacological treatment is not well established yet in alcohol related dementia, except Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome which is definitely related to thiamine deficiency. Therefore we introduced that some reports about the clinical efficacies by rivastigmine or donepezil trial and recent outcomes of memantine trial by authors in this review.
Subject(s)
Alcohol Drinking , Alzheimer Disease , Dementia , Indans , Korsakoff Syndrome , Memantine , Phenylcarbamates , Piperidines , Rivastigmine , Thiamine , Thiamine DeficiencyABSTRACT
PURPOSE: The authors hereby describe a case of Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome with accompanying ocular findings that is caused by hyperernesis gravidarum. METHODS: We experienced a 27-year-old female at 12 weeks of pregnancy, who visited our clinic because of weight loss, gait disturbance, decreased mentality and dizziness after prolonged vomiting for 2 months. Neurological examination demonstrated ataxia of gait and loss of orientation. Ophthalmologic examination showed decreased visual acuity, upbeat nystagmus, diplopia and retinal hemorrhage. RESULTS: We report a relatively rare case of Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome with ophthalmic symptoms induced by hyperemesis gravidarum. CONCLUSIONS: If a pregnant women has symptoms of severe vomiting along with other ocular findings such as retinal hemorrhage or restricted extraocular movement, one must suspect the diagnosis of Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome, and should start appropriate treatment immediately.
Subject(s)
Pregnancy , Humans , Female , Adult , Vision Disorders/etiology , Pregnancy Complications , Korsakoff Syndrome/etiology , Hyperemesis Gravidarum , Eye Diseases/etiologyABSTRACT
Hypermesis gravidarum is a complication defined as vomiting severe enough to require hospital admission during early pregnancy. Thiamine deficiency is known to lead to certain neurological seguelae including Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome. Wernicke's encephalopathy is an illness of acute onset characterized by global confusion, paralysis of eye ball movements, and gate ataxia due to a deficiency of thiamine. The immediate administration of thiamine prevents progression of the disease and reverses brain lesions that have not yet progressed to the point of fixed structural change. We have experienced a case of Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome associated with hyperemesis gravidarum, which seemed to be developed by prolonged thiamine-free fluid therapy. We emphasize the need for thiamine supplementation in hyperemesis gravidarum patients.
Subject(s)
Female , Humans , Pregnancy , Ataxia , Brain , Fluid Therapy , Hyperemesis Gravidarum , Korsakoff Syndrome , Paralysis , Thiamine , Thiamine Deficiency , Vomiting , Wernicke EncephalopathyABSTRACT
A 24-year-old pregnant woman started to have severe hyperemesis gravidarum at 6 weeks' gestation. Six weeks later, dizziness, ataxia, visual disturbance, diplopia and confusion were developed. On admission, she presented ophthalmoplegia, nystagmus, deaeased tendon reflex, intention tremor, ataxia, confusion and memory disturbance. She was diagnosed to Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome and 100mg of thiamine was administered intravenously daily till 28 weeks gestation and then intramuscularly. Her ocular symptns, together with neurological signs, were gradually improved. Memory disturbance slightly improved but remained at the time of delivery. The case will be presented in more details with a brief revie of literatures.
Subject(s)
Female , Humans , Pregnancy , Young Adult , Ataxia , Diplopia , Dizziness , Hyperemesis Gravidarum , Korsakoff Syndrome , Memory , Ophthalmoplegia , Pregnant Women , Reflex, Stretch , Thiamine , TremorABSTRACT
Thiamine deficiency is known to lead to certain neurological sequelae including Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome. Signs attributable to this condition include ataxia, ophthalmoplegia, nystagmus, and mental confusion. The prompt use of thiamine prevents progression of the disease and reverses those lesions that have not yet progressed to the point of fixed structual change. We have experienced a case of Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome associated with hyperemesis gravidarum, which seemed to be developed by prolonged thiamine-free dextrose therapy, we emphasise the need for thiamine supplementation in hyperemesis gravidarum patient.