Oliguric Acute Renal Failure due to Glue-Sniffing

Abstract

A 38-year-old male developed acute oliguric renal failure following repeated glue sniffing for about 8 hours. In addition, he had severe liver cell injury, mild myonecrosis and bone marrow depression indicating generalized tissue toxicity. The high urinary spot sodium during the oliguric phase and the total renal functional recovery after a period of oliguria followed by polyuria favoured a diagnosis of acute toxic tubular necrosis causing acute renal failure. Toluene which is used as the solvent is presumably the toxic agent involved in glue sniffing. It is advised that toluene inhalation be considered in the differential diagnosis of acute renal failure especially in the young. Literature on the renal toxicity of toluene is briefly reviewed.

Key Words:

• toxic nephropathy
• acute renal failure