title: Acute bilateral ophthalmoplegia in a young woman.
abstract: A 34-year-old woman presented with bilateral ophthalmoplegia, ptosis, and mild gait ataxia. Tensilon test, magnetic resonance imaging, and cerebrospinal fluid analysis were normal. She initially denied any alcohol intake but later admitted to significant alcohol and multisubstance abuse. The patient improved dramatically after treatment with thiamine. Wernicke's encephalopathy is discussed, highlighting that it may be present with normal mentation. It should be considered in the differential diagnosis of bilateral ophthalmoplegia even in the absence of altered mental status.
authors.affiliation: Neuro-Ophthalmology Service, Wills Eye Hospital, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
authors.forename: V A
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Deramo
authors.forename: D G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Jayamanne
authors.forename: D B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Auerbach
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Danesh-Meyer
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005133:Eye Movements / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009886:Ophthalmoplegia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D013831:Thiamine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014899:Wernicke Encephalopathy / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy
chemical_list: D013831:Thiamine