보행 실조, 복시 증세로 나타난 알코올성 베르니케 뇌병증

Alcoholic Wernicke Encephalopathy Presenting with Ataxic Gait and Diplopia

Wernicke’s encephalopathy is an acute, reversible neurologic disorder which arises as metabolic complication of thiamine (vitamin B1) deficiency, frequently associated with alcohol misuse. Although Wernicke’s encephalopathy is characterized by a classic triad of mental status changes, ataxia, and ocular motor abnormalities, heterogenous clinical manifestations are more common. Prompt and accurate diagnosis by clinical suspicion is important to avoid death or progression to Korsakoff syndrome with irreversible brain damage. Immediate supplementation of thiamine is the cornerstone of treatment despite no accepted consensus on the optimal regimen. In this case report, we describe a case of Wernicke’s encephalopathy, which presentd with typical symtoms in a 63-year-old man with chronic alcoholism and review related literature.