TY - JOUR
T1 - Non-alcoholic beriberi, Wernicke encephalopathy and long-term eating disorder
T2 - case report and a mini-review
AU - Mantero, Vittorio
AU - Rifino, Nicola
AU - Costantino, Gisella
AU - Farina, Andrea
AU - Pozzetti, Ugo
AU - Sciacco, Monica
AU - Ripolone, Michela
AU - Bianchi, Graziella
AU - Salmaggi, Andrea
AU - Rigamonti, Andrea
PY - 2021
Y1 - 2021
N2 - Introduction: Nowadays, reports of beriberi are rare in developed countries. Wernicke encephalopathy may be present in about 25% of patients with beriberi. Case report: We report the case of a woman with history of depression and chronic eating disorder, who complained Wernicke encephalopathy and beriberi. Sural nerve and muscular biopsy were performed, showing severe axonal neuropathy. Thiamine supplementation was started with rapid improvement of the pulmonary and cardiac affections; improvement of peripheral neuropathy was incomplete. Conclusions: Thiamine deficiency can be misdiagnosed. Beriberi is an important cause of acute flaccid paralysis; hence, clinicians should consider this diagnosis and prompt start thiamine treatment to avoid permanent neurological sequelae.
AB - Introduction: Nowadays, reports of beriberi are rare in developed countries. Wernicke encephalopathy may be present in about 25% of patients with beriberi. Case report: We report the case of a woman with history of depression and chronic eating disorder, who complained Wernicke encephalopathy and beriberi. Sural nerve and muscular biopsy were performed, showing severe axonal neuropathy. Thiamine supplementation was started with rapid improvement of the pulmonary and cardiac affections; improvement of peripheral neuropathy was incomplete. Conclusions: Thiamine deficiency can be misdiagnosed. Beriberi is an important cause of acute flaccid paralysis; hence, clinicians should consider this diagnosis and prompt start thiamine treatment to avoid permanent neurological sequelae.
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U2 - 10.1007/s40519-020-00880-0
DO - 10.1007/s40519-020-00880-0
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85081040849
VL - 26
SP - 729
EP - 732
JO - Eating and Weight Disorders
JF - Eating and Weight Disorders
SN - 1124-4909
IS - 2
ER -