title: Carboxyhemoglobin elevation due to hemolytic anemia.
abstract: A critically ill man with drug-induced hemolytic anemia and hepatic failure was hospitalized at a private academic medical center in Seattle, Washington. Intravascular hemolysis with associated endogenous carbon monoxide (CO) production resulted in elevation of the patient's carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) level to as high as 9.7%. Serial measurements of the patient's COHb level were obtained and compared with other conventional measures of hemolytic activity. With the availability of new non-invasive measurement technology to detect COHb elevations, emergency clinicians are likely to see COHb elevation as a manifestation of hemolytic anemia.
authors.affiliation: Center for Hyperbaric Medicine, Virginia Mason Medical Center, Seattle, Washington, USA.
authors.forename: Neil B
authors.initials: NB
authors.lastname: Hampson
mesh_terms: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000743:Anemia, Hemolytic / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy; D002263:Carboxyhemoglobin / Q000378:metabolism*; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D006400:Hematocrit; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D002263:Carboxyhemoglobin