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Wernicke's encephalopathy presenting with upbeating nystagmus
Shanel Sharma1, Peter M Sumich, Ian C Francis
1Department of Opthamology, Prince of Wales Hospital, Sydney, Australia.
Summary
Wernicke
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Ophthalmology
Background:
- Wernicke's encephalopathy (WE) is a serious neurological condition often linked to alcoholism.
- Anorexia nervosa can also precipitate WE due to thiamine deficiency.
Observation:
- A 49-year-old woman presented with primary position upbeating nystagmus as the main ocular symptom.
- She had no history of excessive alcohol consumption but suffered from anorexia nervosa.
Findings:
- Diagnosis of Wernicke's encephalopathy was confirmed based on clinical presentation and response to treatment.
- Thiamine therapy led to significant symptomatic and clinical improvement.
Implications:
- Highlights the importance of considering WE in patients with anorexia nervosa presenting with neurological signs.
- Upbeating nystagmus can be a key indicator of WE, even without typical risk factors like alcoholism.