An ex-intravenous drug addict with confusion and apathy

Wernicke's encephalopathy is an acute neurological disease, which is the result of thiamine deficiency. Cases in people who are not alcoholics are increasingly recognized. This case reports a Chinese man who was probably poorly nourished as a result of his intravenous drug addiction. During his initial admission to the intensive care unit, he was given parenteral nutrition containing high carbohydrate content without vitamin supplementation. Three weeks after discharge, he was readmitted because he had been suffering confusion for 1 week.