Routine screenings uncover hidden carbon monoxide...(in the winter. It is an odorless colorle...),Health

Date:2/13/2008

in the winter. It is an odorless, colorless gas produced by common household appliances that burn fuel, such as gasoline, oil and wood. When not properly ventilated or used incorrectly, CO emitted by these appliances can build up to dangerous levels. CO poisoning can be very difficult to diagnose, since its symptoms resemble those of the flu and other common illnesses. Pregnant women, children and the elderly are most susceptible to carbon monoxide poisoning.

In the study, hospital staff used a portable, non-invasive pulse CO-oximeter - a device similar to the standard pulse oximeter - to screen 14,438 patients who presented to the emergency department for various concerns over a three-month span. A sensor placed on the patients index or middle finger quickly measured the amount of CO in the blood. These measurements were documented along with initial vital signs and oxygen saturation as part of the standard triage process.

A total of 28 cases of CO poisoning were detected, 11 of which were unexpected and identified only with routine screening. Nearly a third of the patients required hyperbaric oxygen treatment, in which 100 percent oxygen is delivered under high pressure in a specialized chamber to reduce the amount of CO in the blood and return oxygen levels to normal. Overall, four of the 11 patients were smokers.

Patients diagnosed with CO poisoning were interviewed by researchers to determine how they used the information they were provided in the emergency department after being discharged. Those judged to have environmental CO poisoning were also contacted by telephone and asked if they discovered the source of CO, whether the fire department was contacted, the incidence of recurrent similar symptoms, and whether a smoke or CO detector was purchased.

We demonstrated that its possible to conduct quick, non-invasive and inexpensive carbon monoxide screening on every patient even in a high volume, urban emergency departme
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Contact: Jessica Collins Grimes jgrimes2@lifespan.org 401-432-1328 Lifespan Source:Eurekalert

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