Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 9, 2026
06:59
Catheter-based Endovascular Angioplasty for Fibrosing Mediastinitis-associated Pulmonary Vein Stenosis
Published on: August 26, 2025
Marchiafava-Bignami disease: a rare entity with a poor outcome
Paulo Eduardo Mestrinelli Carrilho1, Marcius Benigno Marques Dos Santos, Larisa Piasecki
1Academic Medical Course, Universidade Estadual do Oeste do Paraná - Unioeste/Cascavel, Brazil. pemcarrilho@gmail.com
Revista Brasileira De Terapia Intensiva
|July 27, 2013
Summary
Marchiafava-Bignami disease, a rare condition affecting the corpus callosum, is linked to chronic alcohol use and B vitamin deficiency. This case report details a patient who improved with B vitamin therapy but later succumbed to a rare fungal infection.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Nutritional Neuroscience
Background:
- Marchiafava-Bignami disease (MBD) is a rare neurological disorder primarily affecting the corpus callosum.
- It is strongly associated with chronic ethanol consumption and potential B vitamin deficiencies.
Observation:
- This case report details a severe acute MBD presentation in an alcohol-dependent male.
- The patient showed improvement with parenteral B vitamin administration.
- Despite initial neurological improvement, the patient developed severe pulmonary infections and sepsis.
Findings:
- Neuroimaging, particularly MRI, is crucial for diagnosing MBD.
- Treatment with B vitamins shows variable results, with some patients not responding well.
- The patient ultimately died from sepsis caused by an unusual fungal pathogen, Rhodotorula mucilaginosa.
Implications:
- This case highlights the complex interplay between MBD, nutritional status, and susceptibility to opportunistic infections.
- It underscores the need for comprehensive management in critically ill patients with MBD.
- Further research may elucidate optimal treatment strategies and the role of nutritional support in MBD outcomes.
Related Concept Videos
01:23Gastritis III: Clinical Manifestations and Management
The clinical manifestations of gastritis can vary depending on the cause and type of gastritis, but some common symptoms may include the following.
Clinical manifestations of acute gastritis
The patient with acute gastritis may have a rapid onset of symptoms, such as epigastric pain or discomfort, dyspepsia, anorexia, hiccups, or nausea and vomiting, which can last from a few hours to a few days. Erosive or hemorrhagic gastritis may cause bleeding, which may manifest as blood in vomit or as...
Clinical manifestations of acute gastritis
The patient with acute gastritis may have a rapid onset of symptoms, such as epigastric pain or discomfort, dyspepsia, anorexia, hiccups, or nausea and vomiting, which can last from a few hours to a few days. Erosive or hemorrhagic gastritis may cause bleeding, which may manifest as blood in vomit or as...
01:21Inflammatory Bowel Disease V: Surgical Management
Surgical interventions for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which includes ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, are essential in managing symptoms and addressing complications. The selection of surgical procedures is contingent upon the specific conditions and complications that stem from these illnesses.
Here are some common surgical interventions for IBD:
Here are some common surgical interventions for IBD:
01:21Peripheral Arterial Disease II: Clinical Manifestations and Diagnostic Evaluation
Clinical manifestationsPeripheral Arterial Disease (PAD) manifests through a range of symptoms, from the characteristic intermittent claudication to atypical presentations and severe complications in advanced stages. Intermittent claudication, a hallmark symptom of PAD, presents as exercise-induced muscle pain that typically resolves within minutes of rest. This pain is reproducible and stems from inadequate blood flow, leading to the accumulation of lactic acid produced during anaerobic...
01:20Inflammatory Bowel Disease IV: Clinical Manifestations
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) encompasses two major chronic disorders—ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease—each characterized by relapsing episodes of gastrointestinal inflammation. Although they share certain clinical features, their patterns of involvement and manifestations differ in ways that aid diagnosis and guide management.Ulcerative ColitisUlcerative colitis is limited to the colon and rectum and involves continuous inflammation of the mucosal layer. The disease course is marked...
01:21Acute Pancreatitis II: Pathophysiology
The pathophysiology of acute pancreatitis centers on injury to pancreatic acinar cells, which initiates a cascade of harmful intracellular events.This injury leads to premature activation of trypsinogen to trypsin in the pancreas. Trypsin then activates other digestive enzymes, such as chymotrypsin, elastase, and phospholipase A2, which begin breaking down pancreatic tissue. The resulting autodigestion causes local inflammation, tissue swelling, hemorrhage, and fat necrosis.Injured acinar cells...
01:19Type I Diabetes III: Clinical Manifestations
Type 1 diabetes mellitus typically presents with rapid-onset symptoms due to the body’s inability to utilize glucose in the absence of insulin. Since insulin is required for glucose uptake into cells, its deficiency leads to hyperglycemia and cellular energy deprivation, resulting in characteristic clinical features.Polyuria and PolydipsiaOne of the earliest, most prominent symptoms is polyuria (excessive urination). When blood glucose concentrations rise above the renal threshold, the kidneys...