Wernicke ’s encephalopathy and cranial nerve VII palsy in a 24-year-old patient with COVID-19

ConclusionsThis case is one of three documented cases of Wernicke ’s encephalopathy believed to be caused by COVID-19 in patients without risk factors or chronic alcohol use. Ours is also the first case in which Wernicke’s encephalopathy presents with a concomitant cranial nerve VII palsy. While Emergency Medicine doctors must maintain a high index of suspicio n for stroke in younger patients with COVID-19, our patient’s case augments the correlation between COVID-19 and Wernicke’s encephalopathy in patients without other risk factors for developing the syndrome.
Source: International Journal of Emergency Medicine - Category: Emergency Medicine Source Type: research