title: Reversible coma in Wernicke's encephalopathy.
abstract: A case of coma due to Wernicke's encephalopathy complicated by respiratory failure is described. Ventilation and thiamine administration lead to recovery, although Korsakoff's psychosis and ataxia persisted. A review of similar cases of coma emphasizes the absence of diagnostic features, but that if structural disease is excluded the presence of pupillary and ocular signs may support a diagnosis of Wernicke's encephalopathy. The response to thiamine may be diagnostic as in 8 of these patients who received it, but the long-term morbidity remains high.
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D003128:Coma / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013831:Thiamine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014899:Wernicke Encephalopathy / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy
chemical_list: D013831:Thiamine