DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2018.v06i09.056

Pages: 3522-3525

This study retrospectively investigated the significance of the MetHb level in patients with carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning.We conducted a medical chart review of patients treated from October 2012 to March 2018. The inclusion criterion was patients who were treated in our department due to CO poisoning. The subjects were divided into two groups based on the outcome (survival vs. death). The following variables measured at arrival were analyzed by a review of medical charts based on the patients' sex, age, and cause of CO poisoning, cardiac arrest on arrival, vital signs on arrival, COHb, MetHb, base excess, and treatments.Thirty-one patients were defined as subjects in this study. There were no significant differences associated with the sex, age, cause of CO poisoning or ratio of hyperbaric oxygen therapy between the dying and surviving cases. The Glasgow Coma Scale, systolic blood pressure, heart rate, oxygen saturation and level of BE in the dying group were lower than in the surviving group. The level of COHb and MetHb and frequency of tracheal intubation in the dying group were greater than those in the surviving group. A weak correlation was noted between the MetHb level and the age, oxygen saturation, BE and COHb. The MetHb level at the time of arrival was higher in CO poisoning cases that died than in those that survived, and MetHb had a weak positive correlation with COHb. Therefore, physicians should pay attention to the MetHb level when treating patients with severe CO poisoning.