Lesson of the month 2: A case of nitrous oxide-induced pancytopenia
File(s)129.full.pdf (523.63 KB)
Published version
Author(s)
Norris, Felicity
Mallia, Patrick
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
An 18-year-old female patient presented to the emergency department with non-specific neurological and gastrointestinal symptoms and was found to be pancytopenic. Her vitamin B12 level was low with a normal mean corpuscular volume and her full blood count 2 months previously had been within normal range. She reported heavy use of nitrous oxide over the previous 2 weeks and other investigations revealed no cause for her pancytopenia. Her pancytopenia resolved with discontinuation of nitrous oxide and vitamin B12 treatment. Heavy use of nitrous oxide should be considered as a cause of pancytopenia.
Date Issued
2019-03
Date Acceptance
2019-03-01
Citation
Clinical Medicine, 2019, 19 (2), pp.129-130
ISSN
1470-2118
Publisher
Royal College of Physicians
Start Page
129
End Page
130
Journal / Book Title
Clinical Medicine
Volume
19
Issue
2
Copyright Statement
© 2019 Royal College of Physicians.
Identifier
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30872294
PII: 19/2/129
Subjects
Pancytopenia
nitrous oxide
vitamin B12 deficiency
Publication Status
Published
Coverage Spatial
England