title: Wernicke encephalopathy presenting in a patient with severe acute pancreatitis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Acute pancreatitis can lead to prolonged fasting and malnutrition. Many metabolic changes, including thiamine deficiency, may lead to the well know pancreatic encephalopathy. In this condition however the thiamine deficiency is rarely suspected.
  
  
  METHODS
  We report the case of a 17-year-old woman with severe acute pancreatitis who developed mental status changes and ophthalmoplegia. A magnetic resonance image showed hyperintensive signals in periventricular areas, medial thalamus, and mammillary bodies, findings consistent with the diagnosis of Wernicke encephalopathy. Thiamine treatment reversed neurological complications.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Wernicke encephalopathy secondary to thiamine deficiency should be considered as a possible cause of acute mental status changes in patients with acute pancreatitis and malnutrition. Prophylactic doses of thiamine could be considered in susceptible patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital Dr José E González, Autonomous University of Nuevo León. Monterrey, NL, México.
authors.forename: Ana Cecilia
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Arana-Guajardo
authors.forename: Carlos Rodrigo
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Cámara-Lemarroy
authors.forename: Erick Joel
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Rendón-Ramírez
authors.forename: Joel Omar
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Jáquez-Quintana
authors.forename: Juan Fernando
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Góngora-Rivera
authors.forename: Dionicio Angel
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Galarza-Delgado
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000150:complications*; D013831:Thiamine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013832:Thiamine Deficiency / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D014803:Vitamin B Complex / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014899:Wernicke Encephalopathy / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*
chemical_list: D014803:Vitamin B Complex; D013831:Thiamine