@article{ref1,
title="Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome in head injury: a missed insult",
journal="Alcohol and alcoholism supplement",
year="2000",
author="Ferguson, R. K. and Soryal, I. N. and Pentland, B.",
volume="35",
number="1",
pages="16-18",
abstract="A survey of the use of thiamine in patients at risk from Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome (WKS) in Scottish specialist neurosurgical units, and a 2-year retrospective study of 218 at-risk patients admitted to a regional neurosurgical unit with a head injury were undertaken. Although responses to the survey indicated otherwise, the study revealed that there was no consistent practice regarding thiamine administration. Overall, 20.6% of patients received thiamine, with an alcohol history being the only factor correlating with thiamine administration. Of known alcoholics and heavy drinkers, 56.1% and 26.2% respectively received thiamine as in-patients; 44.5% of patients received additional carbohydrate loads in the form of i.v. dextrose or parenteral nutrition, but only 28.9% of these received thiamine as well. Although the actual thiamine status of these patients was not known, given the difficulties of diagnosing WKS in the presence of a head injury, the conclusion is that written protocols are needed in units to ensure that head injury patients at risk of WKS receive appropriate thiamine treatment or prophylaxis.<p /><p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="1358-6173",
doi="",
url="http://dx.doi.org/"
}