Inhalants cause different types and amounts of liver damage according to the specific chemicals abused, the quantity inhaled and the length of time the person has abused the substance. An enlarged liver is often seen is patients who are abusing solvents.
Anesthetics are next, and hydrocarbons appear to cause the most liver damage.
Nitrites are also the least used of the inhalant classes, followed by anesthetic gases and hydrocarbons. Thus, it is unclear whether the frequency of liver damage reported is due the toxicity of the compounds or to their frequency of abuse. They found that secondary factors may contribute to liver and kidney toxicity in cases of TCE poisoning. In one case of butane abuse, severe abdominal pain and vomiting were the only symptoms of liver, kidney, and brain damage. The clinical toxicology of solvent abuse.