J Electrodiagn Neuromuscul Dis.  2024 Apr;26(1):5-8. 10.18214/jend.2023.00122.

Glue-Sniffing Neuropathy: A Case Report

• Kim H
• Park KD

• KMID: 2554777
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.18214/jend.2023.00122

Abstract

Glue, a volatile substance that is illegal as a recreational drug, has been popularly used for decades, and it can serve as a stepping stone for harder drugs. Chronic exposure can lead to substantial damage to several organs, including central and peripheral nervous systems. Glue-sniffing neuropathy has been reported since the 1960s, but with a lower frequency in recent years. We report a 45-year-old man who sniffed glue and presented with symmetrical distal motor weakness and paresthesia. Based on the patient’s inhalation history and initial electrodiagnostic study, we considered toxic neuropathy and demyelinating polyneuropathy in the differential diagnosis. He became chair-bound with repeating glue sniffing, and a following nerve conduction study showed the progression of motor-dominant polyneuropathies with markedly reduced amplitudes. An incomplete response to steroid therapy and recovery with inhalant cessation confirmed the diagnosis of glue-sniffing neuropathy. We conclude that glue, a neurotoxic volatile inhalant, produced glue-sniffing neuropathy with characteristic clinical and electrodiagnostic features.

Keyword

Glue; Glue-sniffing neuropathy; Toxic polyneuropathy