RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Severe lung injury due to chronic volatile hydrocarbon (VHC) inhalation in an adolescent
JF European Respiratory Journal
JO Eur Respir J
FD European Respiratory Society
SP PA3914
DO 10.1183/13993003.congress-2016.PA3914
VO 48
IS suppl 60
A1 Despina-Zoe Mermiri
A1 Athina Papadopoulou
A1 Efstratios Xristianakis
A1 Christos Plataras
A1 Marios Konstantinou
A1 Gaitanakis Stelios
A1 Theophanis Tsiligiannis
YR 2016
UL http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/48/suppl_60/PA3914.abstract
AB Background: Among adolescents, deliberate inhalation of VHC is popular, for their mood-altering effects, their low cost, ready availability and ease of use. Epidemiologically more than 2 million children aged 12-17 years report using inhalants at least once in their lifetime. Inhalation is most commonly achieved by sniffing, huffing, or bagging. In an acute intoxication setting, death from intentional inhalation of hydrocarbon is not uncommon and is usually due to sudden cardiac events or CNS depression, whereas direct pulmonary injury from chronic inhalation exposure has not been described.Case description: A 13 year old girl presented for the first time with sudden onset of chest pain, dyspnea and cyanosis.CXR revealed Right sided tension pneumothorax, and HRCT showed bilateral large thin walled bullous lesions, emphysematous and atelectatic areas on the right lung. Her personal history was negative; her activities unrestricted and had never had a CXR before. As she had admitted, she was sniffing VHC from 10-15 minutes to several hours at least once daily either alone or as a group activity for about 4 years. Because of bilateral recurrent pneumothoraces she underwent resection of left lung cystic and emphysematous lesions, with ipsilateral pleurodesis.Lung biopsy: Cystic and emphysematous lung parenchyma, increased hemosiderin laden macrophages, Pleural fibrosis and subpleural interstitial fibrosis with multifocal organizing pneumonia.Conclusion: Chronic hydrocarbon inhalation seems to be related to permanent and significant pulmonary sequelae which may persist even after abuse has been discontinued.