Intravenous methadone causes acute toxic and delayed inflammatory encephalopathy with persistent neurocognitive impairments.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The mu-opioid agonist methadone is administered orally and used in opioid detoxification and in the treatment of moderate-to-severe pain. Acute oral methadone-use and -abuse have been associated with inflammatory and toxic central nervous system (CNS) damage in some cases and cognitive deficits can develop in long-term methadone users. In contrast, reports of intravenous methadone adverse effects are rare.

Case presentation

Here, we report a patient who developed acute bilateral hearing loss, ataxia and paraparesis subsequently to intravenous methadone-abuse. While the patient gradually recovered from these deficits, widespread magnetic resonance imaging changes progressed and delayed-onset encephalopathy with signs of cortical dysfunction persisted. This was asso

SUBMITTER: Repple J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7898738 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature