Brain MRI: A safe and a specific tool in the diagnosis of Gayet Wernicke's encephalopathy in pregnant women: Case report

Abstract

Gayet-Wernicke encephalopathy (GWE) is a neuropsychiatric syndrome due to Vitamin B1 (thiamine) deficiency, fatal in 30% of cases and preventable if treatment is initiated early, characterized by the classic triad of encephalopathy, ocular involvement: ophthalmoplegia and/or nystagmus and ataxia. GWE is mainly observed in alcoholics, but can also appear in any state of malnutrition. In obstetrics, hyperemesis gravidarum can be complicated by GWE due to low thiamine stores and increased thiamine requirements. We report a case of Gayet-Wernicke encephalopathy complicating incoercible vomiting in a pregnant woman.

Keywords

• Hyperemesis gravidarum
• Gayet-Wernicke's encephalopathy
• Thiamine
• Brain MRI
• Case report