Metabolic acidosis in toluene sniffing

Abstract

Toluene sniffing, frequently described under the generic category of "glue sniffing," is a potential cause of normal anion gap metabolic acidosis due to distal renal tubular acidosis. Urine anion gap is used to diagnose metabolic acidosis of a normal anion gap variety; however, pitfalls exist when using urine anion gap in the setting of toluene sniffing. We present the case of a young woman who had a normal anion gap metabolic acidosis due to toluene sniffing and an unexpectedly low urine anion gap. In such a scenario, the urine anion gap will underestimate the rate of ammonia excretion when the conjugate bases of acids other than HCl are excreted in large quantities. Estimation of the urine osmolal gap will provide a more accurate ammonia excretion rate in these circumstances. The challenges in interpretation of the urine anion gap and ammonia excretion in the setting of distal renal tubular acidosis due to toluene toxicity are discussed. © Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians.