A Rare Case of Wernicke’s Encephalopathy Due to Hyperemesis Gravidarum

A young pregnant woman with hyperemesis gravidarum presented to casualty with ataxia, confusion and diplopia. Examination revealed nystagmus and bilateral retinal haemorrhages. Characteristic brain MRI findings and rapid response to thiamine was suggestive of Wernicke’s encephalopathy due to hyperem...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inOnline journal of health & allied sciences : OJHAS Vol. 14; no. 1
Main Authors Bellad AV, Shrinivas B, Arif M, Suhas
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Light House Polyclinic Mangalore 01.04.2015
Subjects
Hyperemesis gravidarum
Thiamine deficiency
Wernicke’s Encephalopathy
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Summary:A young pregnant woman with hyperemesis gravidarum presented to casualty with ataxia, confusion and diplopia. Examination revealed nystagmus and bilateral retinal haemorrhages. Characteristic brain MRI findings and rapid response to thiamine was suggestive of Wernicke’s encephalopathy due to hyperemesis gravidarum. Wernicke’s encephalopathy is a potentially reversible condition caused by thiamine deficiency. It is usually suspected in the setting of chronic alcoholosim and might not be recognised when associated with other conditions. A high index of suspicion is required since lack or delay of treatment may lead to high morbidity and mortality.
ISSN:0972-5997