ABSTRACT
Objective To observe the clinical and nerve electrophysiological features of sodium azide poisonin. Method The clinical data of 11 patients with sodium azide poisonin were analyzed retrospectively.Results In this group, the first symptoms was numbness in 4 cases, weakness in 3 cases, walking instability in 2 cases, dizziness and nausea in 2 cases.The major clinical manifestations were numbness in 8 cases, weakness in 6 cases, walking instability in 4 cases, dizziness and nausea in 3 cases, leptophonia in 2 cases, diplopia in 2 cases, limb muscle strength loss in 7 cases, reducing muscle tension in 3 cases, weakened tendon reflex in 3 cases, skin needle drops in 3 cases.Electrophysiological examination showed motor nerve conduction velocity ( MCV) was slower, distal latency ( DML) and amplitude ( AMP) were reduced; the sensory nerve conduction velocity ( SCV) was slower, and AMP was reduced.The latency (Lat) and wave interval of brainstem auditory evoked potential (BAEP) and visual evoked potential ( VEP) , somatosensory evoked potentials ( SEP) were prolonged, and AMP was reduced.Compared with pre-treatment, the abnormal rates of MCV, AMP, DML of median nerve, ulnar nerve, deep peroneal nerve and SCV, AMP of median nerve, ulnar nerve, superficial peroneal nerve, sural nerve and AMP of SEP after treatment had no statistically significant (all P>0.05).Compared with pre-treatment, the abnormal rates of Lat of BAEP, VEP, SEP andⅢ-Ⅴof BAEP and AMP of BAEP, VEP had no statistically significant (P<0.05-0.01).Conclusions The major clinical symptoms of sodium azide poisoning are numbness, weakness, unstable walking, dizziness, diplopia. Electrophysiological examination showed MCV is slower, DML and AMP are reduced; SCV is slower, and AMP is reduced.The Lat and wave interval of evoked potential are prolonged, and AMP is reduced.