RESUMO
Wernicke's encephalopathy is an acute neurological syndrome due to thiamine deficiency, which is characterized by a typical triad of mental status changes, oculomotor dysfunction and ataxia. Despite the fact that Wernicke's encephalopathy, in developed countries, is frequently associated with chronic alcoholism, there have been a number of published cases associating this encephalopathy with parenteral feeding without vitamin supplementation. Diagnosis is primarily a clinical one, and can be supported by laboratory tests and imaging studies; treatment should start as soon as possible, for the morbidity and mortality (almost 20%) associated with this syndrome is high. Thiamine supplementation, along with other vitamins, is recommended for patients in risk of developing this syndrome (AU)
La Encefalopatía de Wernicke es un síndrome neurológico de instauración aguda secundario a un déficit de tiamina y que se caracteriza por una típica tríada de alteración del nivel de conciencia, disfunción oculomotora y marcha atáxica. Aunque la causa más frecuente de Wernicke en nuestro medio sea el alcoholismo crónico, varios casos han sido descritos en enfermos con nutrición parenteral total sin aporte vitamínimo. El diagnóstico es principalmente clínico, apoyándose en pruebas analíticas y de neuroimagen, recomendándose empezar el tratamiento con tiamina lo más precozmente posible, dada la alta morbilidad y la alta mortalidad (de casi 20%), que se asocian a esta encefalopatía. La suplementación dietética con tiamina y otras vitaminas está indicada en todos los individuos en riesgo de desarrollar este síndrome (AU)
Assuntos
Humanos , Nutrição Parenteral Total/efeitos adversos , Encefalopatia de Wernicke/etiologia , Deficiência de Tiamina/complicações , Tiamina/administração & dosagem , Deficiência de Tiamina/etiologiaRESUMO
Wernicke's encephalopathy is an acute neurological syndrome due to thiamine deficiency, which is characterized by a typical triad of mental status changes, oculomotor dysfunction and ataxia. Despite the fact that Wernicke's encephalopathy, in developed countries, is frequently associated with chronic alcoholism, there have been a number of published cases associating this encephalopathy with parenteral feeding without vitamin supplementation. Diagnosis is primarily a clinical one, and can be supported by laboratory tests and imaging studies; treatment should start as soon as possible, for the morbidity and mortality (almost 20%) associated with this syndrome is high. Thiamine supplementation, along with other vitamins, is recommended for patients in risk of developing this syndrome.
