Article Text
Abstract
Recreational use of nitrous oxide as a ‘legal high’ is increasing in the UK. Physicians should be ‘street wise’ to this increasing prevalence and aware of the potential neurological complications which may result from misuse. We describe a 17-year-old male patient who presented to neurology with a severe myelopathy following prolonged recreational use of nitrous oxide. MRI demonstrated characteristic changes affecting the dorsal columns and blood tests demonstrated a ‘functional’ B12 deficiency. Clinical and radiological improvement was noted following initiation of vitamin B12 replacement.
- spinal cord
- vitamins and supplements
- neurology (drugs and medicines)
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Footnotes
Patient consent for publication Obtained.
Contributors JW drafted the original manuscript and subsequent revisions. SH and DD critically reviewed the manuscript.
Funding The authors have not declared a specific grant for this research from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.
Competing interests None declared.
Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.