Brief Report May 7, 2020

Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome: A Case Series in Liaison Psychiatry

Pedro C. Barata, MD; Raquel Serrano, MD; Hugo Afonso, MD; Alice Lu×­s, MD; Teresa Maia, MD, PhD

Prim Care Companion CNS Disord 2020;22(3):19br02538

Article Abstract

Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome (WKS) is a life-threatening and underdiagnosed neuropsychiatric condition caused by thiamine deficiency that comprises Wernicke encephalopathy and Korsakoff syndrome. Although mainly associated with chronic alcoholism, WKS can arise from other circumstances. This report describes a series of cases of WKS that were clinically evaluated by liaison psychiatrists on a nonpsychiatric inpatient unit. The cases illustrate a deficit in the recognition and adequate treatment of WKS, demonstrating its clinical complexity and the need to improve physicians’ knowledge.

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