Use of a noninvasive pulse CO-oximeter to measure blood carboxyhemoglobin levels in bingo players.
BACKGROUND
Though smokers are known to have elevated blood carboxyhemoglobin (COHb), due to inhalation of carbon monoxide (CO) in cigarette smoke, limited data exist regarding COHb levels in nonsmokers exposed to secondhand smoke.


METHODS
COHb was measured using a new noninvasive pulse CO-oximeter (Rad-57, Masimo, Irvine, California) in 38 subjects entering a bingo hall where smoking was allowed, then again as they exited 3 hours later.


RESULTS
The mean +/- SD baseline COHb for the entire group was 3.3 +/- 1.8%, for the 23 nonsmokers it was 2.2 +/- 0.7%, and for the 15 smokers it was 4.9 +/- 1.9%. The nonsmokers' mean COHb was unchanged, at 2.2 +/- 0.8%, whereas the smokers' mean COHb fell to 3.2 +/- 1.9%.


CONCLUSIONS
The nonsmokers were not significantly exposed to CO from secondhand smoke in the setting we tested. The smokers probably consumed fewer cigarettes while playing bingo than they did prior to arrival. The Rad-57 pulse CO-oximeter is easy to use in the ambulatory setting.
Hampson
Neil B
NB
Section of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Virginia Mason Medical Center, Seattle, Washington 98101, USA. neil.hampson@vmmc.org
Scott
Karen L
KL
D001785:Blood Gas Monitoring, Transcutaneous; D002263:Carboxyhemoglobin / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D010092:Oximetry / Q000295:instrumentation*; D011674:Pulse; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012107:Research Design; D012907:Smoking / Q000097:blood*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution
D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution; D002263:Carboxyhemoglobin