Isopropyl alcohol intoxication
J. Rich, R. T. Scheife, N. Katz and L. R. Caplan
Department of Neurology, Tufts University, Boston, Mass 02111.
Three patients had neurologic signs due to isopropyl alcohol (IPA)
intoxication. Over a several-week period, a known alcoholic developed
apathy, confusion, ataxia, and hyperreflexia. During this period, there was
no ethanol available to him, and he denied use of other intoxicants. He was
found stuporous in the hospital after drinking IPA and admitted to IPA
abuse during the preceding weeks. Two other men were admitted in a stupor
after large ingestions of IPA. Intoxication with IPA has two different
presentations: stupor in a known alcoholic and encephalopathy of unknown
cause in individuals who hide their addiction. Ethanol, methanol, IPA, and
ethylene glycol intoxications are associated with different clinical and
laboratory findings.
