The pathological features of Wernicke encephalopat

Authors: Kelly Olds Neil E I Langlois Peter Blumbergs Roger W Byard

Publish Date: 2014/01/28

Volume: 10, Issue: 3, Pages: 466-468

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Abstract

A 47yearold man with a history of alcoholic liver disease was found dead at his home address on the floor lying face down He had been unwell for 2 months prior to death and had complained of abdominal pain He also had a diagnosis of prolonged QT intervalAt autopsy there was no evidence of liver failure although the liver was fatty and fibrotic There was a congenital anomaly of the coronary arteries with the circumflex coronary artery arising from the right sinus of Valsalva with significant narrowing of the ostium There was no evidence of trauma and toxicological screening of blood was unremarkable Biochemical analysis of vitreous humor revealed elevated sodium 144 mmol/L and creatinine 217 μmol/L levels in keeping with terminal dehydration and renal failure with a normal βhydroxy butyrate thus excluding alcoholic ketoacidosis

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