Author/Authors :
Mutti, Carlotta Department of General and Specialistic Medicine - University Hospital of Parma, Parma, Italy , Ciliento, Rosario Department of General and Specialistic Medicine - University of Parma, Parma, Italy , Parrino, Liborio Department of General and Specialistic Medicine - University of Parma, Parma, Italy , Florindo, Irene Department of General and Specialistic Medicine - University of Parma, Parma, Italy , Pavesi, Giovanni Department of General and Specialistic Medicine - University of Parma, Parma, Italy , Zinno, Lucia Department of General and Specialistic Medicine - University of Parma, Parma, Italy
Abstract :
Non-alcoholic Wernicke Encephalopathy (WE) is an overlooked complication of malnourishment in all its forms including undernutrition, inadequate vitamine intake and endocrinological diseases. Both delay in treatment and overtreatment can lead to severe neurological life-long consequences. Inadequate management in patients with chronic malnutrition may cause abrupt osmolytes unbalance and subsequent osmotic demy-elination syndromes. We describe a 65-year old man with apathetic encephalopathy caused by thyreotoxicosis and associated with malnutrition and severe thiamine depletion
