# Chronic Nitrous Oxide Toxicity Despite Elevated Serum Vitamin B12 Level: A Case Report

## TL;DR

A man developed lasting nerve damage from nitrous oxide abuse despite having high vitamin B12 levels.

## Contribution

This case highlights chronic N2O toxicity in a patient with elevated serum vitamin B12 due to self-supplementation.

## Key findings

- Neurologic symptoms persisted for over 24 hours after N2O cessation despite vitamin B12 supplementation.
- Functional vitamin B12 deficiency occurred despite high serum levels, leading to neurotoxicity.
- Chronic N2O use can cause permanent neurological damage even with prophylactic B12 intake.

## Abstract

Nitrous oxide (N2O) toxicity is an uncommon but important-to-recognize presentation of neurologic deficits and hematologic abnormalities, which may never resolve in some patients. In the United States, nitrous oxide is legal to possess and easily obtainable for purchase in stores and online. Nitrous oxide abuse and its long-term sequelae must be recognized by the emergency physician to ensure proper follow-up and maximize neurologic outcomes.

A 28-year-old male with past medical history of alcoholism and polysubstance abuse presented to the emergency department with progressive paresthesias, shortness of breath, and neurologic complaints following daily inhalation of N2O for three weeks. He was diagnosed with N2O toxicity due to functional vitamin B12 deficiency in the setting of elevated B12 levels from prophylactic self-supplementation.

While most recreational users of nitrous oxide will experience transient neurologic symptoms resolving within minutes of cessation, frequent or heavy users may develop permanent neurotoxicity. Exposed patients require close follow-up with neurology and vitamin B12 supplementation to maximize neurologic recovery. In this patient, there was persistence of neurologic symptoms over 24 hours after cessation of use despite self-supplementation of vitamin B12.