Analysis of the effects of COHb, lactate, and troponin levels on the clinical process and outcome in patients who were admitted to the emergency service due to carbon monoxide poisoning

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to determine the demographic, medical, and treatment characteristics of patients followed up with the diagnosis of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning in emergency care and also to determine the relationship of these patients’ clinical process and outcome between carboxyhemoglobin (COHb), lactate, and troponin levels. METHODS: The present study was conducted retrospectively between 01/01/2013 and 01/01/2016 by examining 450 patients who were referred to the emergency service for CO poisoning. The ages; sexualities; manners of application; clinical findings; levels of blood COHb, lactate, and troponin; applied oxygen treatment method; and outcome of patients were evaluated. Data analysis was done by Shapiro–Wilk, Student’s t, Mann–Whitney U, and chi-square tests. RESULTS: A total of 450 patients were included in the study. The median age of the patients was 35 (interquartile range (IQR) 26.75–45.00) years. In the study where data are not homogeneously distributed, the median levels of COHb, lactate, and troponin were 11.80% (IQR 3–23), 1.60 (IQR 1.10–2.5) mmol/l, and 0.00 (IQR 0.000–0.003) ng/ml, respectively. The levels of lactate were detected to be statistically high in patients who had syncope and who received hyperbaric oxygen treatment (p<0.05). In addition, the levels of lactate and troponin were significantly higher in patients who were hospitalized (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: The levels of COHb, lactate, and troponin can provide an insight to the clinician about hospitalization and the type of treatment.