Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 25, 2026
08:09
Gene-environment Interaction Models to Unmask Susceptibility Mechanisms in Parkinson's Disease
Published on: January 7, 2014
8.0K
Expanding the differential: toluene-induced toxicity
Lavanya Dharmarajan1, Hussam Ammar2
1Medical School, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Heath Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas, USA.
BMJ Case Reports
|August 3, 2017
Summary
A woman experienced generalized weakness and metabolic acidosis due to hypokalemia, which was successfully treated. Her symptoms were linked to toluene exposure from paint, highlighting a potential environmental health risk.
Area of Science:
- Toxicology
- Nephrology
- Environmental Medicine
Background:
- Metabolic acidosis and hypokalemia can present with non-specific symptoms like generalized weakness.
- Renal tubular acidosis (RTA) is a condition that can lead to electrolyte imbalances.
Observation:
- A 31-year-old woman presented with profound leg weakness, lower back, and abdominal pain.
- Physical examination revealed significant leg muscle weakness.
- Laboratory findings included hypokalemia and metabolic acidosis.
Findings:
- Treatment with potassium supplementation resolved the patient's weakness.
- The patient reported recent exposure to paint fumes.
- Elevated blood toluene levels confirmed toxic exposure as the cause of her symptoms.
Implications:
- This case highlights toluene as a potential cause of renal tubular acidosis and hypokalemia.
- Environmental exposure to solvents like toluene can have significant, yet reversible, health consequences.
- Clinicians should consider environmental toxin exposure in patients presenting with unexplained electrolyte abnormalities and weakness.
Related Concept Videos
01:24Drug Toxicity: Dose-Dependent Reactions
54
Drug toxicities can be stratified into pharmacological, pathological, or genotoxic based on their mechanisms. The incidence and severity of these toxicities generally increase with the drug's concentration in the body and exposure time.Pharmacological toxicity is evident when the therapeutic effects of drugs overshoot into adverse reactions in a predictable, dose-dependent manner. Central nervous system (CNS) depression from barbiturates is a classic example, with effects escalating from...
54
01:26Toxic Reactions: Overview
2.8K
When toxic substances penetrate the human body, they disseminate to various tissues, undergoing metabolic changes. This process yields reactive metabolites that may covalently bind with specific target molecules, resulting in toxicity.
Toxicity falls into two primary categories: local and systemic.
Local toxicity appears at the exposure site, such as protein denaturation caused by caustic substances.
In contrast, systemic toxicity requires the toxic agent's absorption and distribution,...
Toxicity falls into two primary categories: local and systemic.
Local toxicity appears at the exposure site, such as protein denaturation caused by caustic substances.
In contrast, systemic toxicity requires the toxic agent's absorption and distribution,...
2.8K
01:16Drug toxicity: Idiosyncratic Reactions
62
Idiosyncratic drug reactions represent abnormal chemical responses that vary significantly among individuals, ranging from extreme sensitivity to low doses to insensitivity to high doses. These reactions often occur due to the drug's covalent binding with serum proteins, forming a foreign hapten that triggers an immunotoxicological response. The variability in drug reactions has a strong pharmacogenetic foundation, with genetic differences crucial in how individuals metabolize drugs. For...
62
01:30Drug Toxicity: Allergic Reactions
59
Drug-related allergies are immune-mediated responses triggered by the administration of pharmacological agents. These hypersensitivity reactions are classified based on the immune mechanisms involved. The four primary types—Type I, II, III, and IV—are mediated by different immunological pathways and exhibit distinct clinical manifestations.Type I Hypersensitivity/ IgE-Mediated Reactions: Immunoglobulin E (IgE) immediately mediates Type I hypersensitivity reactions. Upon initial...
59
01:24Drug Toxicity: Risk factors
55
Adverse Drug Reactions (ADRs) are potential complications that arise during pharmacotherapy, influenced by multiple risk factors. Age plays a significant role; both neonates and the elderly are at heightened risk due to their respective immature and diminished metabolic and elimination processes. Gender also impacts ADRs, with females experiencing a 1.5 to 1.7-fold greater risk than males, which may be linked to pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic, and hormonal differences. Notably, neonates, the...
55
01:23Toxicity Testing in Animals
63
Toxicity tests in animals are grounded on two main assumptions: first, the effects observed in laboratory animals can be extrapolated to humans, especially when adjusted for body surface area; second, high-dose exposure in animals is essential to identify potential human hazards from lower doses. This is based on the quantal dose-response concept, which faces the challenge of extrapolating results from relatively few test animals to much larger human populations. For example, a 0.01% incidence...
63