Electrophysiologic Characteristics of Nitrous-Oxide-Associated Peripheral Neuropathy: A Retrospective Study of 76 Patients

The electrophysiologic characteristics of peripheral neuropathy secondary to nitrous oxide (N O) abuse remain unclear. The paper therefore aimed to summarize the electrophysiologic characteristics of N O-associated peripheral neuropathy and identify the risk factors of severe nerve injury. The electrophysiologic results and clinical data of patients with peripheral neuropathy secondary to N O abuse at our hospital between 2018 and 2020 were analyzed retrospectively, and their electrophysiologic changes were summarized. Most patients exhibited decreased sensory and motor nerve conduction velocities (75% and 76%), decreased sensory nerve and compound motor action potentials (57% and 59%), and prolonged distal motor latency (59%), while a response was absent in 36%. These findings indicate that N O abuse can result in generalized injury to sensory and motor nerves. Electrophysiologic results indicated axonal neuropathy in 37 cases (49%), demyelinating peripheral neuropathy in 4 (5%), and mixed neuropathy in 12 (16%). Peripheral nerve injury was more common in the lower limbs (72%) than in the upper limbs (42%,