Polyradiculoneuropathy associated with heroin abuse

Neurological complications of heroin addiction have occurred only sporadically in the United Kingdom. We report the case of a young female patient who developed an acute polyradiculoneuropathy when she recommended intravenous heroin after four years abstinence. Another possible aetiological factor was a preceding flu-like illness but, after full investigations, we concluded that heroin abuse was the most likely cause of the neurological symptoms.