Wernicke encephalopathy in alcoholics with diabetic ketoacidosis.

Wernicke encephalopathy is caused by thiamine deficiency in the central nervous system, and is defined by the triad of confusional symptoms, ocular alterations and ataxia. Some other factors may also predispose alcoholic patients to this deficiency. We report two patients with hyperglicaemia and ketoacidosis due to diabetes mellitus decompensation and chronic alcoholism who developed Wernicke encephalopathy before their hospital admission. The outcome was successful after intravenous thiamine administration and insulinotherapy. The presence of Wernicke encephalopathy in alcoholics with diabetic ketoacidosis, suggests that metabolic decompensation is essential in the onset of the disease.