Clinical Cases Analysis Of Nonalcoholic Wernicke Encephalopathy

Objective This study was undertaken to evaluate the cause, diagnosis, treatment, and outcome of nonalcoholic patients with nonalcoholic Wernicke encephalopathy(WE).Methods A retrospective review was conducted of all cases of nonalcoholic WE from 1995.1 to 2010.12 evaluated at a rural university the first and second affiliated hospital Chongqing medical university.Results The globe confusion consist in all the 12 patients.Lateral rectus palsy,nystagmus or ataxia were consist in parts of patients. Only twenty five percent patients had the classic triad.Eight patients were examined with cerebral CT, all of which were normal. Cranial MR of 7/8 patients showed increased T2WI and FLAIR signal symmetrically surrounding the aqueduct and third ventricle and within the medial thalamus. Four patients were examined with contrast enhancement MRI,three of which showed intense enhancement.Eleven patients were given vitamin B₁, and the other one was not be given.Four patients were recovered,and the other eight patients remained varied sequela. Conclusion Nonalcoholic Wernicke encephalopathy is lack of characteristic clinical manifestation in the early stage.It is easy to be misdiagnosed.Any dystrophic patients with not be explained globe confusion should be suspected the possibility of WE. MRI is useful for diagnosis. Giving enough vitamin B₁ timely is the key treatment of this disease.