TY - JOUR
T1 - Wernicke Encephalopathy in schizophrenia
T2 - a systematic review
AU - Oudman, Erik
AU - Wijnia, Jan W.
AU - Oey, Misha J.
AU - van Dam, Mirjam J.
AU - Postma, Albert
PY - 2021
Y1 - 2021
N2 - Introduction: In schizophrenia, patients can experience delusions or hallucinations regarding their food or health status, leading to diminished intake. Fasting or not eating a balanced diet can cause neurological complications after severe vitamin B1 malnourishment. The precise signs and symptoms of Wernicke’s Encephalopathy (WE) in schizophrenia are not clear. Our aim, therefore, was to conduct a systematic review of the characteristics of WE in patients with schizophrenia. Methods: We conducted our search from inception using Mesh terms schizophrenia, Wernicke Encephalopathy, Korsakoff’s syndrome. We searched Pubmed, ISI Web of Science, and Scopus. We defined WE as mental, oculomotor, and motoric alterations and thiamine deficiency; schizophrenia was defined as psychosis, hallucinations and/or delusions; adequate WE treatment as >500 mg/day intramuscular or intravenous. Our search yielded 15 WE cases. Results: WE is characterised by a triad of mental status change, ocular signs and ataxia. In alcohol use disorder, this triad is present in 16% of the cases, but 12 out of the 15 published schizophrenia cases presented themselves with a full triad. Importantly, as an additional characteristic, patients often lost weight within a short period of time. Conclusions: The development of a full triad and additional symptomatology suggests a late recognition of signs and symptoms of WE in schizophrenia. Prophylactic thiamine checks and treatment in patients with schizophrenia are relevant, and if WE is suspected adequate parenteral thiamine supplementation is necessary.Key points Only few cases of schizophrenia-related WE have been published in the literature, though challenges in diagnosing and recognising WE suggest that the vast majority of cases go undetected. Acute thiamine deficiency leads to Wernicke’s Encephalopathy. Patients diagnosed with schizophrenia are at risk to develop Wernicke’s Encephalopathy. Timely treatment with high doses of thiamine can adequately treat Wericke’s Encephalopathy.
AB - Introduction: In schizophrenia, patients can experience delusions or hallucinations regarding their food or health status, leading to diminished intake. Fasting or not eating a balanced diet can cause neurological complications after severe vitamin B1 malnourishment. The precise signs and symptoms of Wernicke’s Encephalopathy (WE) in schizophrenia are not clear. Our aim, therefore, was to conduct a systematic review of the characteristics of WE in patients with schizophrenia. Methods: We conducted our search from inception using Mesh terms schizophrenia, Wernicke Encephalopathy, Korsakoff’s syndrome. We searched Pubmed, ISI Web of Science, and Scopus. We defined WE as mental, oculomotor, and motoric alterations and thiamine deficiency; schizophrenia was defined as psychosis, hallucinations and/or delusions; adequate WE treatment as >500 mg/day intramuscular or intravenous. Our search yielded 15 WE cases. Results: WE is characterised by a triad of mental status change, ocular signs and ataxia. In alcohol use disorder, this triad is present in 16% of the cases, but 12 out of the 15 published schizophrenia cases presented themselves with a full triad. Importantly, as an additional characteristic, patients often lost weight within a short period of time. Conclusions: The development of a full triad and additional symptomatology suggests a late recognition of signs and symptoms of WE in schizophrenia. Prophylactic thiamine checks and treatment in patients with schizophrenia are relevant, and if WE is suspected adequate parenteral thiamine supplementation is necessary.Key points Only few cases of schizophrenia-related WE have been published in the literature, though challenges in diagnosing and recognising WE suggest that the vast majority of cases go undetected. Acute thiamine deficiency leads to Wernicke’s Encephalopathy. Patients diagnosed with schizophrenia are at risk to develop Wernicke’s Encephalopathy. Timely treatment with high doses of thiamine can adequately treat Wericke’s Encephalopathy.
KW - Clinical nutrition
KW - dietary schizophrenia
KW - thiamine
KW - Wernicke’s Encephalopathy
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85091241215&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/13651501.2020.1819333
DO - 10.1080/13651501.2020.1819333
M3 - Review article
AN - SCOPUS:85091241215
SN - 1365-1501
VL - 25
SP - 233
EP - 237
JO - International Journal of Psychiatry in Clinical Practice
JF - International Journal of Psychiatry in Clinical Practice
IS - 3
ER -