Stroke Incidence in Survivors of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning in South Korea: A Population-Based Longitudinal Study

BACKGROUND: Carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning is a suspected risk factor for stroke. However, the association between stroke occurrence and carbon monoxide poisoning remains unclear. This nationwide study in Korea analyzed the incidence of stroke in survivors of CO poisoning. MATERIAL/METHODS: In this nationwide, population-based longitudinal study, the database of the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service was searched to identify patients diagnosed with CO poisoning from 2012 to 2018. Their incidence of ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes, the patterns of stroke incidences, the annual incidence rates in sequential time, the standardized incidence ratio (SIR), and the effects of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) were analyzed. RESULTS: Of the 29 301 patients diagnosed with CO poisoning during the study period, 984 (3.36%) were diagnosed with stroke after CO poisoning, with approximately 50% occurring within 1 year after CO poisoning. The overall SIR for stroke was 19.49 (95% confidence interval [CI], 17.92–21.12) during the first year, decreasing to 5.64 (95% CI, 4.75–6.66) during the second year. Overall stroke hazard ratio (HR) in the patients admitted to the ICU for CO poisoning was 2.28 (95% CI, 1.19–2.27), compared with 2.35 (95% CI, 1.94–2.84) for ischemic stroke and 1.76 (95% CI, 1.11–2.78) for hemorrhagic stroke. Cumulative HRs did not differ between patients who were and were not treated with HBOT for stroke. CONCLUSIONS: CO poisoning is a high-risk factor for the development of stroke, evidenced by high incidences of stroke after CO poisoning. Practical strategies for preventing stroke after CO poisoning are needed, because stroke after CO poisoning affects adults of almost all ages, significantly increasing their socioeconomic burden.