Sudden, unexpected death and Wernicke's encephalopathy: a complication of prolonged intravenous feeding.

Wernicke's encephalopathy (WE) is thought to be largely confined to the alcoholic population. However, another "at risk" group of patients has been identified. Three patients maintained on prolonged intravenous feeding died suddenly and unexpectedly from acute WE. Six similar cases from the recent literature are reviewed. Six of these nine cases died as a result of this disease. Neuropathological examinations showed a prominent haemorrhagic component of the acute WE. Six patients did not exhibit any of the classical signs of WE.