Lethal methemoglobinemia and automobile exhaust inhalation.
Inhalation of automobile exhaust gas often leads to death by CO intoxication. In some cases the measured carbon monoxide hemoglobin saturation level (COHb) is considerably below what is considered to be lethal. The death in such cases has been attributed to a combination of a high CO2 and a low O2 tension. In a recent case the deceased was found dead in a car equipped with a catalytic converter, with a hose leading exhaust from the engine to the interior of the car. Analysis revealed a moderately elevated COHb and a high methemoglobin saturation level (MetHb) in peripheral blood. No ethanol, narcotics or drugs were detected. Reports mentioning MetHb or methemoglobinemia in post-mortem cases are surprisingly scarce, and very few have related exhaust gas deaths to methemoglobinemia. High-degree methemoglobinemia causes serious tissue hypoxia leading to unconsciousness, arrhythmia and death. The existing literature in this field and the knowledge that exhaust fumes contain nitrogen oxide gases (NOx) that by inhalation and absorption can result in severe methemoglobinemia, led us to postulate that this death could possibly be attributed to a combination of methemoglobinemia and a moderately high COHb concentration.
Vevelstad
Merete
M
Division of Forensic Toxicology and Drug Abuse, Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH), P.O. Box 4404 Nydalen, N-0403 Oslo, Norway.
Morild
Inge
I
D000328:Adult; D001344:Autopsy; D002248:Carbon Monoxide / Q000097:blood; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008706:Methemoglobin / Q000032:analysis; D008708:Methemoglobinemia / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced*; D013405:Suicide; D001335:Vehicle Emissions / Q000506:poisoning*
D001335:Vehicle Emissions; D002248:Carbon Monoxide; D008706:Methemoglobin