title: Could vital signs predict carbon monoxide intoxication?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This retrospective study examined the correlation between carboxy haemoglobin (COHb) levels and vital signs in patients with carbon monoxide (CO) intoxication.
  
  
  METHODS
  Over a 10-year period, patients>16 years of age who presented to the emergency department due to CO intoxication were included. Age, gender, comorbidities, month/year of presentation, presenting symptoms, vital signs, blood pH, COHb level, treatment and outcome were recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In total, 476 patients were included. The mean±SD age was 36.22±13.65 years; 96.4% of the patients had a normal Glasgow Coma Scale score, 91.0% had normal blood pressure and 80.0% had a normal heart rate. COHb levels were stratified into three groups: <10% (n=39), 10-20% (n=106) and >20% (n=205); levels could not be obtained in the remaining 126 patients. In patients with COHb levels>20%, 34 (16.6%) had alkalosis and nine (4.4%) had acidosis. Among patients with COHb levels>20%, 140 (68.3%) had normal vital signs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Vital signs cannot be used as a prognostic marker of CO intoxication and, therefore, patients must be monitored closely.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, School of Medicine, Hacettepe University, and Department of Emergency Medicine, Ankara Training and Research Hospital, Hasırcılar Street, Sıhhıye, Ankara, Turkey. nmaksu@superposta.com
authors.forename: N M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Aksu
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Akkaş
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Çoşkun
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Karakiliç
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Günalp
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Akküçük
authors.forename: D K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Ataman
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Özcan
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Özmen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D002249:Carbon Monoxide Poisoning / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002263:Carboxyhemoglobin / Q000378:metabolism; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008297:Male; D055986:Vital Signs / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D002263:Carboxyhemoglobin