title: Remember 'a posteriori diagnosis' of carbon monoxide poisoning.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To raise awareness of the possibility of carbon monoxide poisoning as a diagnosis in the emergency department and to present the little known fact that it is possible to diagnose carbon monoxide poisoning retrospectively.
  
  
  METHODS
  Presentation of a case report, review of the literature.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Persistence of elevated carboxyhaemoglobin levels in a stored vacutainer blood sample.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Carbon monoxide poisoning is common but often goes unrecognized. This method may help to decrease the number of overlooked cases and thereby possibly prevent further exposure and acute or chronic sequelae.
authors.affiliation: Intensive Care Unit, Ospedale Regionale Bellinzona e Valli, Bellinzona, Switzerland. andreas.perren@eoc.ch
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Perren
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Marone
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001364:Awareness; D002249:Carbon Monoxide Poisoning / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002263:Carboxyhemoglobin / Q000032:analysis*; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D002263:Carboxyhemoglobin