A Cochrane review [Abstract] 1 included only one study with a total of 107 subjects. Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome is caused by a deficiency of vitamin B1 (thiamine). Thiamine has been established as the treatment of choice for over 50 years. Ambrose 2 randomized participants to one of five doses of intramuscular thiamine and measured outcomes after 2 days of treatment. There was a significant difference in favour of the 200 mg/day compared with the 5 mg/day dose in the number of trials taken to reach criterion on a delayed alternation test (MD -17.90, 95% CI -35.4 to -0.40). No significant differences emerged in comparing the other doses with 5 mg/day. The pattern of results did not present a simple dose-response relationship. The study had methodological shortcomings in design and the presentation of results that limited further analysis.
Comment: The quality of evidence is downgraded by imprecise results (few patients and wide confidence intervals).
Primary/Secondary Keywords