Wernicke’s encephalopathy is a triad of:
- Opthalmoplegia
- Ataxia
- Disturbance of consciousness and mental state
It is caused by thiamine (vitamin B1) deficiency.
Causes of thiamine deficiency include:
- Alcoholism
- Malnutrition
- Recurrent vomiting
- Chronic diarrhoea
- Magnesium depletion
- Peptic ulcer disease
Treatment is IV thiamine
Prognosis:
Untreated 20% will die and 85% will develop Korsakoff syndrome